Meanings
comparative more phosphorescent · superlative most phosphorescent
- 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.
So he imports this special breed of scorpions and feeds them on metal meal and the scorpions turned a phosphorescent blue color and sort of hummed.
1966 [1961], William S. Burroughs, The Soft Machine (The Nova Trilogy), New York: Grove Press, page 11Synonyms: briny
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveHaving 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.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveemitting light without appreciable heat as by slow oxidation of phosphorous
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From phosphorus + -escent. It's interesting to note that phosphorus is not phosphorescent. Some phosphoric mixtures can be luminescent through chemical reactions, but none exhibit literal phosphorescence.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian фосфоресцентен, фосфоресциращ
- фосфоресцентен (fosforescenten)emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
- фосфоресциращ (fosforescirašt)emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Catalan fosforescent
- fosforescentemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Czech fosforeskující
- fosforeskujícíemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Esperanto fosforeska
- fosforeskaemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Finnish fosforoiva
- fosforoivaemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
French phosphorescent
- phosphorescentemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Greek φωσφορίζων
- φωσφορίζων (fosforízon)emitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Italian fosforescente
- fosforescenteemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Māori hinātore
- hinātoreemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Polish fosforescencyjny
- fosforescencyjnyemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Portuguese fosforescente
- fosforescenteemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Spanish fosforescente
- fosforescenteemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Tagalog mapospowanag
- mapospowanagemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Welsh ffosfforeddol
- ffosfforeddolemitting light for a period of time after the source of excitation is taken away
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with phosphorescent
Cite this entry
phosphorescent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorescent
“phosphorescent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorescent. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phosphorescent,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorescent.
Source: phosphorescent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.