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phosphoresce

[fos-fuh-res]
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verb (used without object), phos·pho·resced, phos·pho·resc·ing.
  1. to be luminous without sensible heat, as phosphorus.
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Origin of phosphoresce

First recorded in 1785–95; phosphor(us) + -esce
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

shine, twinkle, gleam, sparkle, glint, glow, glare, glisten, flare, blink, reflect, beam, blaze, glance, dance, flash, jiggle, shimmy, coruscate, scintillate

Examples from the Web for phosphoresce

Historical Examples

  • Some substances also, which fluoresce at ordinary temperatures, will phosphoresce at low temperatures.

    The Nature of Animal Light

    E. Newton Harvey

  • There is, however, another possible way how a conductor might at least appear to phosphoresce.

  • Its dead color brightens considerably under the molecular impact, but I am now convinced it does not phosphoresce.

  • I took a screen made of zincblende, which will phosphoresce when the emanations of radium fall upon it.

    The Life Radiant

    Lilian Whiting

  • But from numerous experiments I find that bodies will phosphoresce in actual contact with the negative pole.

British Dictionary definitions for phosphoresce

phosphoresce

verb
  1. (intr) to exhibit phosphorescence
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012