Incandescent: meaning, definitions and examples
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incandescent
[ ɪnˈkændəsənt ]
light emission
The term incandescent refers to a type of light that is emitted by a heated object. When an object is heated to a high temperature, it begins to glow and produce light, which is called incandescence. This phenomenon occurs when the thermal energy from heat excites the atoms in the material, leading them to emit light. Incandescent bulbs, for example, work by using a filament that heats up and glows when electricity passes through it. They are often used in lighting applications, though they are less energy-efficient compared to other types of bulbs.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The incandescent bulb provided a warm glow in the room.
- In the early 20th century, incandescent lighting revolutionized indoor spaces.
- Incandescent materials can create stunning visual effects when heated.
Translations
Translations of the word "incandescent" in other languages:
🇵🇹 incandescente
🇮🇳 दीप्तिमान
🇩🇪 glühend
🇮🇩 berpendar
🇺🇦 інкандесцентний
🇵🇱 żarzący się
🇯🇵 白熱の
🇫🇷 incandescent
🇪🇸 incandescente
🇹🇷 parlak
🇰🇷 백열의
🇸🇦 متوهج
🇨🇿 žhavý
🇸🇰 žiarivý
🇨🇳 白炽的
🇸🇮 žareč
🇮🇸 glóandi
🇰🇿 жарлы
🇬🇪 ბრწყინვალე
🇦🇿 parlaq
🇲🇽 incandescente
Etymology
The word 'incandescent' originates from the Latin word 'incandescere', which means 'to glow white' or 'to become incandescent'. This Latin term is a combination of 'in-' meaning 'in' or 'into', and 'candescere', which is derived from 'candēre', meaning 'to shine' or 'to be glowing'. The term began to be used in English in the early 19th century, particularly in relation to the science of heat and light. The invention of the incandescent light bulb in the late 19th century by Thomas Edison popularized the term, as it became a common descriptor for a new form of electric light that relied on this principle of incandescence. Today, the term continues to be used in both scientific contexts and everyday language to describe objects that emit light as a result of being heated.