Light produced by a substance without the high heat associated with glowing combustion.
Reach for it when describing a scientific light-emission phenomenon or its soft visual effect
The plankton's blue luminescence traced each paddle stroke.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional |
|
| formal | |
| literary |
everyday
Fits when plain description of steady soft light is enough
Careful Glow can result from heat and does not identify the physical process.
warm
shimmer
Fits when changing reflected highlights create the effect
Careful Shimmer is usually reflection, not emitted luminescence.
professional
fluorescence
Fits when emission stops almost immediately when excitation ends
Careful Fluorescence names a different timing behavior than phosphorescence.
professional
phosphorescence
Fits when light continues after the exciting energy source is removed
Careful Phosphorescence is one type of luminescence, not an interchangeable general term.
formal
bioluminescence
Fits when a living organism produces the light
Careful Bioluminescence is too narrow for minerals, chemicals, or devices.
literary
Fits when the visual impression of emitted light matters more than mechanism
Careful Radiance says nothing about temperature or production.
blue luminescence
Blue luminescence appeared when the mineral met ultraviolet light.
faint luminescence
A faint luminescence marked the emergency route.
natural luminescence
Natural luminescence made the cave larvae easy to locate.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Back ache, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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