phosphorescence.

1. Light emitted by a substance that continues glowing after the exciting energy source has been removed.

2. A glowing appearance, especially a natural glow described as phosphorescence without a precise physical diagnosis.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• faint phosphorescence
• phosphorescence of a mineral
• blue phosphorescence

On the page

The mineral’s phosphorescence remained visible after the lamp was switched off.

She watched the phosphorescence fade in the dark box.

The test measured how long the phosphorescence continued.

Usage notes

Primary category: environment. Forms: Usually a mass noun. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.