incandescent

1 of 2

adjective

in·​can·​des·​cent ˌin-kən-ˈde-sᵊnt 

 also  -(ˌ)kan-

1

a

: white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat

b

: strikingly bright, radiant, or clear

c

: marked by brilliance especially of expression

incandescent wit

d

: characterized by glowing zeal : ardent

incandescent affection

2

a

: of, relating to, or being light produced by incandescence

b

: producing light by incandescence

incandescently adverb

incandescent

2 of 2

noun

: light bulb sense a

Did you know?

Incandescent first came to light in the English language toward the end of the 1700s, at a time when scientific experiments involving heat and light were being conducted on an increasingly frequent basis. An object that glowed at a high temperature (such as a piece of coal) was deemed incandescent. By the mid-1800s, the incandescent lamp—aka the lightbulb—had been invented; it contains a filament which gives off light when heated by an electric current. Figurative uses of incandescent soon followed, and today someone with a brilliant way with words may be said to have an “incandescent wit,” while someone positively beaming with joy may possess an “incandescent smile.”

Synonyms

Adjective

• beaming
• bedazzling
• bright
• brilliant
• candescent
• clear
• dazzling
• effulgent
• fulgent
• glowing
• lambent
• lucent
• lucid
• luminous
• lustrous
• radiant
• refulgent
• sheeny
• shining
• shiny
• splendid

Examples of incandescent in a Sentence

Adjective

sitting in darkness, except for the incandescent coals of our campfire

a speaker incandescent with righteous anger over the treatment of the refugees

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Accepting the award on her behalf, Ruben managed to make more than one attendee teary-eyed with the incandescent passion for Isabel which is very much still a part of him. —Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024

Another one of our top picks is this slim tree with incandescent lights, designed for outdoor use. —Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2024

Replace light bulbs: If possible, make sure that the light bulbs in your home are incandescent or LED. —Serenity Mirabito, Rn, Health, 19 June 2024

The energy-efficient bulbs run cooler and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lights. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

probably from French, from Latin incandescent-, incandescens, present participle of incandescere to become hot, from in- + candescere to become hot, from candēre to glow — more at candid entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing incandescent

• incandescent lamp
• incandescent light bulb
• incandescent with rage

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Kids Definition

incandescent

1 of 2 adjective

in·​can·​des·​cent ˌin-kən-ˈdes-ᵊnt 

: white or glowing with great heat

incandescently adverb

incandescent

2 of 2 noun

: lightbulb sense a