fluoresce

English

Etymology

Back-formation from fluorescence.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛs

Verb

fluoresce (third-person singular simple present fluoresces, present participle fluorescing, simple past and past participle fluoresced)

1. (intransitive, physics) To emit electromagnetic radiation, especially visible light, when absorbing radiation of some other wavelength.
   • 1974, John Boorman, Zardoz, London: Pan Books, page 98:

     The blinding light did not hurt, it filled him, he glowed, all his veins fluoresced, each one alive with new growth.

2. (intransitive) Of colours, to be very bright; to be so bright as to appear to radiate as a light source.

Related terms

• fluorescence
• fluorescent
• fluorescer
• fluorescently