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Glite Dictionary
to phosphoresce

to phosphoresce

1 9.9
To glow softly after being in light
  • verb
  • /ˌfɑs.fəˈrɛs/
  • Specialized
: fosforescer
  • Some deep-sea creatures phosphoresce to attract prey or communicate in the darkness.

Examples

  • The painted stars on the ceiling phosphoresce softly after the lights are turned off.

  • The glow-in-the-dark paint will phosphoresce after being exposed to light.

  • Certain minerals phosphoresce under ultraviolet light in the laboratory.

  • After the lights went out, the stars began to phosphoresce in the dark.

  • After being exposed to sunlight, the glow-in-the-dark stars began to phosphoresce softly in the dark.

  • Some minerals can phosphoresce for hours after being illuminated by a bright light.

  • The special paint used on the clock face allows it to phosphoresce at night for easy reading.

Synonyms

to light up
vsto phosphoresce
201 2.5

Begin to shine or make something begin to shine, for example by burning

is light production without heat and commonly appears after earlier exposure
to glow
vsto phosphoresce
197 1.2

To shine with a steady soft light

is not caused by heat and typically happens after exposure
to emit
vsto phosphoresce
128 4.4

Send out light, heat, sound or gas

is limited to non-heat light release and often occurs after exposure
to radiate
vsto phosphoresce
  • Specialized
37 4.3

Give off heat, light, or energy from a source

is a specific non-heat light release that usually follows exposure
to luminesce
vsto phosphoresce
  • Specialized
1 8.2

To give off light without heat

is the specific form that follows earlier exposure to radiation

How Bright

dazzle
4 5.6
to shine
409 1.0
glow
114 1.0
to phosphoresce
  • Specialized
1 9.9
to flicker
66 3.6

Surface Forms

phosphoresce infinitive
phosphoresced past
phosphoresced past participle
phosphorescing present participle
phosphoresces third person singular

Morphology

phosphoresce = phosphor (semi-transparent) = phosphor + esce

The formation is a regular suffixation (phosphor + -esce) but it uses the technical base 'phosphor' and the uncommon verb-forming suffix '-esce', so it may not be immediately obvious to average learners.

Etymology

Phosphoresce comes from old Greek parts phos meaning 'light' and phoros meaning 'to carry'. A helpful way to remember it is to think 'light-carrier', like the photo in photograph, which also means 'light'. So, to phosphoresce is to give off a soft light without heat, often after the object has been in light.