as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible
we could see inside the cave even without a flashlight because of the luminescence coming from some of the fungus on the walls
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Recent Examples of luminescence
Auroras are light shows that happen when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, while airglow is luminescence caused by chemical reactions high in the atmosphere.
—
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
When placed under ultraviolet lighting, six species of the critters were found to emit a green luminescence.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Stratus clouds are gray layers, sometimes with variances in their luminescence.
—Noel Kirkpatrick, Treehugger, 7 Aug. 2025
Each frame is down-sampled to a lower resolution, then subjected to basic pixel/image analysis such as luminescence (brightness) and color extraction, brightness gradient analysis and texture analysis.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Dec. 2017
See All Example Sentences for luminescence
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
When placed under ultraviolet lighting, six species of the critters were found to emit a green luminescence.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Stratus clouds are gray layers, sometimes with variances in their luminescence.
—Noel Kirkpatrick, Treehugger, 7 Aug. 2025
Each frame is down-sampled to a lower resolution, then subjected to basic pixel/image analysis such as luminescence (brightness) and color extraction, brightness gradient analysis and texture analysis.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Dec. 2017
See All Example Sentences for luminescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luminescence
Noun
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In the home, a pearl-toned aesthetic creates a luminous glow that mimics the gem's bright shimmer.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
15 May 2026
-
Trump is basking in the glow of a high-profile summit with Xi.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Because a bright sky helps subdue Venus's glare, this is a good time to inspect the planet telescopically, though its gibbous disk remains rather small and approximately seven-eighths illuminated.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
But only briefly; the glare returned in a flash.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Seen in this light, the announcements from Iran are likely more signaling than a genuine policy proposal.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
17 May 2026
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The aroma blends grassy cane freshness with vanilla cream, citrus peel, green banana, and light caramel.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Biscan suggests benefiting from the gleam and dimension of iridescence while opting for the sophistication of marble and marble-look tiles.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
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The chef Eric Ripert and his partner, Maguy Le Coze, understand that space and time are as much luxuries as the commitment to craft and decades of dedication that give each plate here a consummate gleam.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
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For Riley, this was a jolt of illumination about the way the world viewed him—not as a child but as a suspect, a scammer in the making.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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That single footlight at Williams’ feet came up as primarily illumination again and again (really making those green socks pop), while at other times there was a monochromatic effect that puts the singer on roughly equal footing with the rest of her band.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Luminescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luminescence. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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