fluoresce

English

Etymology

Back-formation from fluorescence.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fləˈɹɛs/, /flʊəˈɹɛs/
• Rhymes: -ɛs
• Homophone: floresce

Verb

fluoresce (third-person singular simple present fluoresces, present participle fluorescing, simple past and past participle fluoresced)

1. (intransitive, physics) To emit electromagnetic radiation, especially visible light, when absorbing radiation of some other wavelength.
   • 1974, John Boorman, Zardoz, London: Pan Books, page 98:

     The blinding light did not hurt, it filled him, he glowed, all his veins fluoresced, each one alive with new growth.

2. (transitive, physics) To cause to fluoresce; to make fluorescent.
   • 2012, Oliver J. Wagner, Brian E. Louie, Eric Vallières, Ralph W. Aye, Alexander S. Farivar, “Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging Can Help Identify the Contralateral Phrenic Nerve During Robotic Thymectomy”, in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, volume 94, →DOI, page 622:

     During right robotic thymectomy, fluorescence imaging facilitates identification of the contralateral phrenic nerve by fluorescing the pericardiophrenic vessels.

3. (intransitive) Of colours, to be very bright; to be so bright as to appear to radiate as a light source.

Related terms

• fluorescence
• fluorescent
• fluorescer
• fluorescently