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Luminesce - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Luminesce means to emit light without producing heat, often through chemical or physical processes. It describes natural phenomena like glow-worms or man-made objects such as glow-in-the-dark paint.

luminesce

/ˌluːmɪˈnɛs/ /ˌluːmɪˈnɛs/

Definition:

Emit light without significant heat, often due to chemical or physical processes.

Synonyms:

glow, shine, radiate, gleam

Part of Speech:

verb

Antonyms:

darken, dim

Common Collocations:

luminesce brightly, naturally luminesce, chemically luminesce

Derivatives:

luminescent, luminescence

Usage Tips:

Use "luminesce" to describe cool light emission, like fireflies or certain minerals at night.

Common Phrases:

glow in the dark, emit a soft light, shine faintly

Etymology:

Derived from Latin "lumen" (light) + "-esce" (beginning or resembling).

Examples:

  • 1. Fireflies luminesce beautifully on summer nights.
  • 2. The jellyfish began to luminesce when disturbed in the water.
  • 3. Certain minerals luminesce under ultraviolet light.
  • 4. The deep-sea creatures luminesce to attract prey in the darkness.
  • 5. Her bracelet seemed to luminesce faintly in the dim room.

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