fluorescent

fluorescent

English

Etymology

    From fluoresce + -ent.

    Pronunciation

    • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌflʊəˈɹɛsənt/
    • Audio (Southern England):(file)
    • (US) IPA(key): /flɔˈɹɛsənt/
    • Homophone: florescent, in some pronunciations
    • Rhymes: -ɛsənt

    Adjective

    fluorescent (comparative more fluorescent, superlative most fluorescent)

    1. Of or relating to fluorescence.
    2. Exhibiting or produced by fluorescence.
      The fluorescent plants shimmered in the darkness.
    3. Emitting visible light as a result of the excitation of phosphors by ultraviolet photons produced by the passage of an electrical current through an inert gas infused with mercury.
      The quality of fluorescent lighting technology has improved dramatically in recent years.
      • 1960 July, “New Eastern Region diesel depot at Finsbury Park”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 422–423:
        The shed, a steel-framed structure with a single-span roof devoid of intermediate support, is exceptionally well-lit by continuous glazing on the roof and along much of the sides, while there is fluorescent roof lighting for night work.
      • 2007 March 1, Matthew L. Wald, “Room to Improve”, in The New York Times[1], archived from the original on 3 June 2017:
        Rather than burning out as incandescent bulbs do, L.E.D.’s light output dims over tens of thousands of hours. L.E.D.’s are also more resistant to vibration than incandescents or screw-in fluorescent bulbs, and do not flicker or hum.
      • 2016 January 14, Jessica Hall, “Nanoengineers build 'microcannons' that fire light-up bullets filled with drugs”, in ExtremeTech[2]:
        Then they backed the membrane with a gel matrix containing a perfluorocarbon (PFC) propellant and fluorescent "nanobullets" about a micron wide, and hit it with ultrasound.
    4. Vivid, as if fluorescing; neon.
      Her shirt was fluorescent orange.

    Derived terms

    Translations

    See also

    Noun

    fluorescent (plural fluorescents)

    1. A fluorescent light.
      The fluorescents hummed day and night.
      • 2007 March 1, Matthew L. Wald, “Room to Improve”, in The New York Times[3], archived from the original on 3 June 2017:
        Compact fluorescents are typically rated at 7,500 to 10,000 hours, and incandescents at about 1,500 hours.

    See also

    Catalan

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): (Central) [flu.u.ɾəˈsen]
    • IPA(key): (Balearic) [flu.o.ɾəˈsent]
    • IPA(key): (Valencia) [flu.o.ɾeˈsent]

    Adjective

    fluorescent m or f (masculine and feminine plural fluorescents)

    1. fluorescent

    Derived terms

    Further reading

    French

    Alternative forms

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    fluorescent (feminine fluorescente, masculine plural fluorescents, feminine plural fluorescentes)

    1. fluorescent

    Descendants

    • Romanian: fluorescent
    • Turkish: floresan

    Further reading

    Occitan

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    fluorescent m (feminine singular fluorescenta, masculine plural fluorescents, feminine plural fluorescentas)

    1. fluorescent
    • fluorescéncia

    Romanian

    Etymology

    Borrowed from French fluorescent.

    Adjective

    fluorescent m or n (feminine singular fluorescentă, masculine plural fluorescenți, feminine/neuter plural fluorescente)

    1. fluorescent

    Declension

    Declension of fluorescent
    singular plural
    masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
    nominative-
    accusative
    indefinite fluorescent fluorescentă fluorescenți fluorescente
    definite fluorescentul fluorescenta fluorescenții fluorescentele
    genitive-
    dative
    indefinite fluorescent fluorescente fluorescenți fluorescente
    definite fluorescentului fluorescentei fluorescenților fluorescentelor