ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fluorescent

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌfɫɔˈɹɛsənt// UK //flɔːɹˈɛsənt// flu·o·res·cent

adj. producing very bright light, or having a color that looks like it is glowing. You often see these colors on safety vests or bright markers.

adj. emitting light during exposure to radiation such as ultraviolet light or an electric discharge; by extension, describing strikingly bright or vivid colors. Often used attributively before a noun.


SIMPLE

The workers wear fluorescent jackets so drivers can see them.

CONTEXTUAL

The office is lit by long fluorescent tubes that hum slightly throughout the workday.

COMPLEX

The artist used fluorescent pigments to ensure the mural would remain visible under the dim ultraviolet lights of the underground gallery.

Origin

From fluoresce + -ent.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies; often used to describe lighting or high-visibility colors.

Pitfall

the light is fluorescencethe light is fluorescentLearners often confuse the adjective 'fluorescent' with the noun 'fluorescence', which refers to the physical process itself.

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