English
Etymology
From phosphorus + -escent. It's interesting to note that technically phosphorus is not phosphorescent. Phosphorus is luminescent, it gives off light from a chemical reaction, as opposed to re-emission of absorbed energy (phosphorescence). (Reference: John Emsley, The Shocking History of Phosphorus, ISBN 0-330-39005-8.)
Adjective
en-adj
- Having the property of emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away, e.g., in electrostatic storage tubes and cathode-ray tubes.
Derived terms
phosphorescence
phosphorescently
Related terms
phosphor
phosphoresce
phosphoroscope
Translations
French: phosphorescent
mid
Italian: fosforescente
Noun
en-noun
- A phosphorescent substance.
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