phosphorescence
Lingering cold light
Phosphorescence is the emission of light without combustion or perceptible heat, especially the glow that persists after the light source is removed.
The term comes from phosphorus, an element that glows in the dark.
Phosphorescent materials absorb light and release it slowly: The phosphorescence of the watch dial faded through the night.
The word also describes the eerie glow of certain sea creatures or decaying organic matter: We watched the phosphorescence of the waves breaking on the beach.
Lingering light or feeling
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- gleamFaint reflected light
- glimmerFaint, wavering light
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
radiance · greenish · bluish · faint · moonlike · sustained · lingering · delayed
Dual-flagellated marine microorganism
- planktonDrifting marine microlife
- jellyfishDrifting marine stinger
- fireflyBioluminescent nocturnal beetle
- glowwormBioluminescent beetle larva
anglerfish · krill · squid · coral · bacteria · deep-sea · marine · light-emitting
Light emission after absorption
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- excitationStimulation of response
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
quantum · electron · energy · decay · absorption · spectral · long-lived
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- otherworldlySeemingly not earthly
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
supernatural · uncanny · mysterious · glowing · apparition · will-o-wisp · foxfire · graveyard
afterglow
Lingering light or feeling
luminosity · radiance · greenish · bluish · faint · moonlike · sustained · lingering · delayed · persistent
dinoflagellate
Dual-flagellated marine microorganism
- planktonDrifting marine microlife
- jellyfishDrifting marine stinger
- fireflyBioluminescent nocturnal beetle
glowworm · anglerfish · krill · squid · coral · bacteria · deep-sea · marine · light-emitting · bay
photoluminescence
Light emission after absorption
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- excitationStimulation of response
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
photon · quantum · electron · energy · decay · absorption · spectral · long-lived
ghostly
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- otherworldlySeemingly not earthly
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
ethereal · supernatural · uncanny · mysterious · glowing · apparition · will-o-wisp · foxfire · graveyard
sea
Saltwater body, not ocean
tropical · nighttime · kayaking · swimming · shoreline · midnight
- physicsphysics, momentum, atom, acceleration, gravity
- nighttimemidnight, nightfall, night sky, nighttime, starry sky
- glowglow, gleam, glimmer, shimmer, radiance
- light effectsshine, glow, gleam, shimmer, glitter
- light phenomenarainbow, refraction, diffraction, spectrum, prism
- chemistryatom, atoms, organic chemistry, molecule, chemistry
phosphorescenceincandescence
Light from heated objects
thermal radiation · white heat · red heat · candlelight · firelight
phosphorescencedarkness
Total absence of light
blackness · lightlessness · obscurity · non-luminous · dark