sonoluminescence

noun

The emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound.

OriginEnglish luminescence ← Latin sonus ← Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂os →
RareScrabble 22
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Meanings

nounsonoluminescence (uncountable)
  1. uncountablenatural sciencesThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*swenh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*swónh₂os
  3. Latinsonus
  4. Englishsono-
  5. Englishluminescence
  6. Englishsonoluminescence

From sono- + luminescence.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Basque sonolumineszentzia
  • sonolumineszentziaThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Finnish sonoluminesenssi
  • sonoluminesenssiThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Italian sonoluminescenza
  • sonoluminescenzaThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Romanian sonoluminiscență
  • sonoluminiscențăThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Russian сонолюминесце́нция
  • сонолюминесце́нция (sonoljuminescéncija)The emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Spanish sonoluminiscencia
  • sonoluminiscenciaThe emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles
Cite this entry
APA

sonoluminescence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sonoluminescence

MLA

“sonoluminescence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sonoluminescence. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sonoluminescence,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sonoluminescence.

Source: sonoluminescence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.