The emission of light that does not derive energy from the temperature of the emitting body, as in phosphorescence, fluorescence, and bioluminescence. Luminescence is caused by chemical, biochemical, or crystallographic changes, the motions of subatomic particles, or radiation-induced excitation of an atomic system.
Main Entry: lu·mi·nes·cence Pronunciation: "lü-m&-'nes-&n(t)s Function: noun : the low-temperature emission oflight produced especially by physiological processes (as in the firefly), by chemical action, by friction, or by electrical action; also: light produced by luminescence —lu·mi·nesce/-'nes/intransitive verb-nesced; -nesc·ing —lu·mi·nes·cent/-&nt/adjective