luminescent

[ loo-muh-nes-uhnt ]
See synonyms for luminescent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. emitting light that is not caused by incandescence and that occurs at a temperature below that of incandescent bodies: The luminescent watch hands glow 100 times brighter than those on standard watches, allowing wearers to read the time in complete darkness.

  2. glowing or shining, or producing an impression of light; lustrous; radiant: Her gloriously luminescent voice, described by the New York Times as "hauntingly clear," evokes other-worldly sounds wafting from a mountaintop convent.

Origin of luminescent

1
First recorded in 1855–60; from Latin lūmin-, stem of lūmen “light” + -escent

Other words from luminescent

  • non·lu·mi·nes·cent, adjective
  • un·lu·mi·nes·cent, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024