Incandescent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˌin-kən-ˈde-sᵊnt/ in·can·des·cent

Meaning & Definition of Incandescent

Incandescent (adjective)

  1. white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat
  2. strikingly bright, radiant, or clear
  3. marked by brilliance especially of expression

Incandescent (noun)

  1. light bulb

Incandescent (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. giving off or reflecting much light

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

    similar: beaming, bedazzling, bright, brilliant, candescent, clear, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent, glowing, lambent, lucent, lucid, luminous, lustrous, radiant, refulgent, sheeny, shining, shiny, splendid
    related: ablaze, ardent, blazing, burning, combusting, fiery, flaming, red-hot, agleam, aglitter, blinding, coruscant, flaring, flashing, flickering, gemmy, glancing, glaring, gleaming, glimmering, glinting, glistening, glistering, glittering, scintillant, scintillating, shimmering, shimmery, sparkling, sunny, twinkling, winking, burnished, polished, shined, superbright, ultrabright
    opposite: dim, dull, lackluster, unbright, unbrilliant
    near: blackened, dark, darkened, darkish, darkling, darksome, dimmed, dusky, gloomy, lightless, murky, obscure, obscured, pitch-black, pitch-dark, somber, sunless, tenebrous, unlit, cloudy, shadowlike, shadowy, shady, gray, leaden, pale, palish

  2. having or expressing great depth of feeling

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

    similar: ardent, blazing, burning, charged, demonstrative, emotional, fervent, fervid, feverish, fiery, flaming, glowing, hot-blooded, impassioned, intense, passional, passionate, perfervid, red-hot, religious, superheated, torrid, vehement, warm, warm-blooded, on fire
    related: gushing, gushy, maudlin, mawkish, mushy, saccharine, sappy, schmaltzy, sentimental, sloppy, sugary, histrionic, melodramatic, enthusiastic, gung ho, keen, zealous, enamored, infatuated, obsessed, uninhibited, unreserved, unrestrained, frenzied, orgiastic, overemotional, overexcited, overheated
    opposite: cold, cool, dispassionate, emotionless, impassive, unemotional
    near: detached, dry, impersonal, objective, reserved, undemonstrative

Related Entry: Light bulb (noun)

Light bulb is a different word from Incandescent. The synonyms below are for light bulb, not for incandescent.

  1. a glass bulb or tube that produces light when it is supplied with electricity

    "change a light bulb that has burned out"

    similar: arc lamp, candelabra, candelabrum, candle, chandelier, dark lantern, electric, flare, flash, flashbulb, flashcube, flashlight, floodlight, fluorescent lamp, gaslight, gasolier, girandole, headlight, incandescent lamp, klieg light, lantern, lighthouse, lighting, sconce, spotlight, streetlight, sun lamp, beacon, illuminant, lamp

Related Entry: Incandescent lamp (noun)

Incandescent lamp is a different word from Incandescent. The synonyms below are for incandescent lamp, not for incandescent.

  1. as in fluorescent lamp, arc lamp

    similar: arc lamp, candelabra, candelabrum, candle, chandelier, dark lantern, flare, flash, flashbulb, flashcube, flashlight, floodlight, fluorescent lamp, gaslight, gasolier, girandole, headlight, klieg light, lantern, light bulb, lighthouse, lighting, sconce, spotlight, streetlight, sun lamp, beacon, illuminant, lamp

Related Entry: Incandescent lamps (noun)

Incandescent lamps is a different word from Incandescent. The synonyms below are for incandescent lamps, not for incandescent.

  1. as in fluorescent lamps, arc lamps

    similar: arc lamps, candelabra, candelabras, candles, chandeliers, dark lanterns, flares, flashbulbs, flashcubes, flashes, flashlights, floodlights, fluorescent lamps, gaslights, gasoliers, girandoles, headlights, klieg lights, lanterns, light bulbs, lighthouses, lightings, sconces, spotlights, streetlights, sun lamps, beacons, illuminants, lamps

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Incandescent

The most common words with a similar meaning to Incandescent:

beaming, bedazzling, bright, brilliant, candescent, clear, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent, glowing, lambent, lucent, lucid, luminous, lustrous, radiant, refulgent, sheeny, shining, shiny, splendid, ardent, blazing, burning, charged, demonstrative, emotional, fervent, fervid, feverish, fiery, flaming, hot-blooded, impassioned, intense, passional, passionate, perfervid, red-hot, religious

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Incandescent

Words with the opposite meaning of Incandescent:

dim, dull, lackluster, unbright, unbrilliant, cold, cool, dispassionate, emotionless, impassive, unemotional

Related Words for Incandescent

ablaze, combusting, agleam, aglitter, blinding, coruscant, flaring, flashing, flickering, gemmy, glancing, glaring, gleaming, glimmering, glinting, glistening, glistering, glittering, scintillant, scintillating, shimmering, shimmery, sparkling, sunny, twinkling, winking, burnished, polished, shined, superbright

Near Antonyms of Incandescent

blackened, dark, darkened, darkish, darkling, darksome, dimmed, dusky, gloomy, lightless, murky, obscure, obscured, pitch-black, pitch-dark, somber, sunless, tenebrous, unlit, cloudy, shadowlike, shadowy, shady, gray, leaden, pale, palish, detached, dry, impersonal

Word Forms of Incandescent

Derived words: incandescently (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Incandescent

borrowed from Latin incandēscent-, incandēscens, present participle of incandēscere "to become red-hot, glow with heat," from in- in-:2 + candēscere "to grow light or white, become hot," inchoative of candēre "to shine, be white, gleam" candid:1

First known use: 1794

Words & Phrases Containing Incandescent

incandescent lamp, incandescent light bulb, incandescent with rage

Frequently Asked Questions about Incandescent

What does "Incandescent" mean?

"Incandescent" means white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Incandescent"?

Other words for "Incandescent" include beaming, bedazzling, bright, brilliant, candescent, clear, dazzling and effulgent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Incandescent" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Incandescent"?

There are 105 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Incandescent". Common alternatives include beaming, bedazzling, bright, brilliant, candescent, clear, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent and glowing.

What is the opposite of "Incandescent"?

Antonyms of "Incandescent" include dim, dull, lackluster, unbright, unbrilliant, cold, cool and dispassionate. Near antonyms include blackened, dark, darkened and darkish.

How do you use "Incandescent" in a sentence?

Examples of "Incandescent" in a sentence: "sitting in darkness, except for the incandescent coals of our campfire"; "a speaker incandescent with righteous anger over the treatment of the refugees".

Is "Incandescent" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Incandescent" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Incandescent"?

"Incandescent" is pronounced /ˌin-kən-ˈde-sᵊnt/ and divided into syllables as in·can·des·cent.

What is the origin of the word "Incandescent"?

"Incandescent" comes from borrowed from Latin incandēscent-, incandēscens, present participle of incandēscere "to become red-hot, glow with heat," from in- in-:2 + candēscere "to grow light or white, become hot," inchoative of candēre "to shine, be white, gleam" candid:1. First known use: 1794.