1785-95; < Latinincandēscent- (stem of incandēscēns), present participle of incandēscere to glow. See in-2, candescent
Related forms
incandescently, adverb
nonincandescent, adjective
nonincandescently, adverb
Synonyms
5. electrifying, brilliant, dynamic.
Examples from the web for incandescent
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which provide the same amount of light while using less energy.
It's been more than a century since he lit incandescent bulbs wirelessly in his lab, and yet you're still plugging into the wall.
The volcano itself is throwing incandescent bombs near the vent along with producing copious ash.
To the outside world he was a jovial, talkative and incandescent personality who illuminated a room and fired imaginations.
Compact fluorescent lights are four times as efficient as today's incandescent bulbs and last ten to twenty times as long.
While incandescent remains the standard for table lamps, consumers have more choices today.
Over the course of her incandescent literary and political career, she also became a symbol of views she did not hold.
The music evokes the gamelan, or incandescent undersea creatures suddenly shadowed by a big fish.
incandescent bulbs hanging from the dropped ceiling provided the only light.
In his generation, he was used to incandescent flashing beacons.
British Dictionary definitions for incandescent
incandescent
/ˌɪnkænˈdɛsənt/
adjective
1.
emitting light as a result of being heated to a high temperature; red-hot or white-hot
2.
(informal) extremely angry; raging
Derived Forms
incandescently, adverb
Word Origin
C18: from Latin incandescere to become hot, glow, from in-² + candescere to grow bright, from candēre to be white; see candid
Word Origin and History for incandescent
adj.
1794, from French incandescent or directly from Latin incandescentem (nominative incandescens), present participle of incandescere "become warm, glow, kindle," from in- "within" (see in- (2)) + candescere "begin to glow, become white," inceptive of candere "to glow, to shine" (see candle).