phosphorescent
English edit
Etymology edit
From phosphorus + -escent.
It's interesting to note that phosphorus is not phosphorescent. Some phosphoric mixtures can be luminescent through chemical reactions, but none exhibit literal phosphorescence.[1]
Adjective edit
phosphorescent (comparative more phosphorescent, superlative most phosphorescent)
- Having the property of emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away, e.g., in electrostatic storage tubes and cathode-ray tubes.
- 1966 [1961], William S. Burroughs, The Soft Machine (The Nova Trilogy), New York: Grove Press, page 11:
- So he imports this special breed of scorpions and feeds them on metal meal and the scorpions turned a phosphorescent blue color and sort of hummed.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
|
Noun edit
phosphorescent (plural phosphorescents)
- A phosphorescent substance.
References edit
French edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
phosphorescent (feminine phosphorescente, masculine plural phosphorescents, feminine plural phosphorescentes)
See also edit
Further reading edit
- “phosphorescent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.