Ultraviolet: meaning, definitions and examples

The term 'ultraviolet' combines the Latin word 'ultra', meaning 'beyond', and the color 'violet', which represents the highest frequency of visible light. The concept of ultraviolet light has its origins in the work of early 19th-century physicists, most notably Johann Wilhelm Ritter in 1801, who discovered that light beyond the violet end of the spectrum could cause chemical reactions, such as those seen in silver chloride. This was a pivotal moment in the development of modern physics and chemistry, leading to extensive research on the effects of UV radiation in various fields from medicine to photochemistry. Over the years, the understanding of ultraviolet light has expanded, and it is now known to play a role in processes such as vitamin D synthesis in the human body, as well as serving a critical function in the sterilization of instruments and surfaces.

Ranked #10,183, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.

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