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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



89 words match “LUMINOUS”

HORNBLENDE n.
black, or dark green or brown, variety of amphibole. (See Amphibole.) It belongs to the aluminous division of the species, and is also characterized by its containing considerable iron. Also used as a general term to include the whole species. Hornblende schist (Geol.), a hornblende rock of schistose structure.…
ILLUSTRATE v.
To make clear, bright, or luminous. Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky. Chapman.
ILLUSTRIOUS a.
Possessing luster or brightness; brilliant; luminous; splendid. Quench the light; thine eyes are guides illustrious. Beau. & Fl.
INCANDESCENCE n.
A white heat, or the glowing or luminous whiteness of a body caused by intense heat.
INCANDESCENT a.
White, glowing, or luminous, with intense heat; as, incandescent carbon or platinum; hence, clear; shining; brilliant. Holy Scripture become resplendent; or, as one might say, incandescent throughout. I. Taylor. Incandescent lamp or light (Elec.), a kind of lamp in which the light is produced by a thin filament of cond…
INCREASE n.
The period of increasing light, or luminous phase; the waxing; -- said of the moon. Seeds, hair, nails, hedges, and herbs will grow soonest if set or cut in the increase of the moon. Bacon. Increase twist, the twixt of a rifle groove in which the angle of twist increases from the breech to the muzzle.…
INTERFERENCE n.
red rings with a single black cross; -- so called because produced by the interference of luminous waves. -- Interference fringe. (Optics) See Fringe.
LEMNIAN a.
Of or pertaining to the isle of Lemnos. Lemnian bole, Lemnian earth, an aluminous earth of a grayish yellow color; sphragide; -- formerly sold as medicine, having astringent properties. -- Lemnian reddle, a reddle of firm consistence and deep red color; -- used by artificers in coloring.
LIGHT n.
ature by the operation of which upon the organs of sight, objects are rendered visible or luminous.
LIGHTNING n.
ver which lightning jumps. Called also lightning discharger. -- Lightning bug (Zoöl.), a luminous beetle. See Firefly. -- Lightning conductor, a lightning rod. -- Lightning glance, a quick, penetrating glance of a brilliant eye. -- Lightning rod, a metallic rod set up on a building, or on the mast of a vessel, and…
LUCULENT a.
Clear; evident; luminous. " Most luculent testimonies." Hooker.
LUMINANT a.
Luminous. [R.]
LUMINOSITY n.
The quality or state of being luminous; luminousness.
LUSTROUS a.
Bright; shining; luminous. " Good sparks and lustrous." Shak. -- Lus"trous*ly, adv.
MACULA n.
A spot, as on the skin, or on the surface of the sun or of some other luminous orb.
METEOR n.
Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region. The vaulty top of heaven Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak.
NEBULA n.
A faint, cloudlike, self-luminous mass of matter situated beyond the solar system among the stars. True nebulæ are gaseous; but very distant star clusters often appear like them in the telescope.
OBSCURE a.
ect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.
ORB n.
The eye, as luminous and spherical. [Poetic] A drop serene hath quenched their orbs. Milton.
PARGASITE n.
A dark green aluminous variety of amphibole, or hornblende.
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