Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Subscribe

Archives



Nov 6, 2024
This week’s theme
Idioms & metaphors

This week’s words
beacon
security blanket
incandescent

incandescent
Original carbon-filament bulb from Thomas Edison’s shop in Menlo Park, 1879
Photo: Terren

Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

incandescent

PRONUNCIATION:
(in-kuhn-DES-uhnt)

MEANING:
adjective:
1. Emitting light when heated.
2. Extremely bright.
3. Displaying intense emotion, such as anger, affection, or zeal.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin incandescere (to become hot, glow), from in- (intensive prefix) + candere (to shine or glow), from candidus (white). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kand- (to shine) which also gave us candle, incense, candid, candida, candent, and candidate (in reference to white togas worn by Romans seeking office). Earliest documented use: 1794.

USAGE:
“Thomas Edison proved the superiority of incandescent lighting. His company eventually became General Electric, a beacon of American enterprise throughout the 20th century.”
Bubbleology; The Economist (London, UK); Aug 10, 2024.

“Tory MPs ... are incandescent that their leaders have recklessly inflicted economic pain on voters.”
Camilla Cavendish; This is Starmer’s Moment, but Victory Is Not Yet Assured; Financial Times (London, UK); Oct 1, 2022.

See more usage examples of incandescent in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I don't think that combat has ever been written about truthfully; it has always been described in terms of bravery and cowardice. I won't even accept these words as terms of human reference any more. And anyway, hell, they don't even apply to what, in actual fact, modern warfare has become. -James Jones, novelist (6 Nov 1921-1977)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith