In`can*des"cent (?), a. [L. incandecens, -entis, p. pr. of incandescere to become warm or hot; pref. in- in + candescere to become of a glittering whiteness, to become red hot, incho. fr. candere to be of a glittering whiteness: cf. F. incandescent. See Candle.]
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 conducting material, usually carbon-- usually tungsten! --, contained in a vacuum, and heated to incandescence by an electric current, as in the Edison lamp; -- called also incandescence lamp, and glowlamp.-- incandescent bulb -- the light bulb used in an incandescent lamp; contrasted with fluorescent lamp and fluorescent bulb --
© Webster 1913.