Bioluminescence

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Luminescence \Lu`mi*nes"cence\, n. [See {Luminescent}.]
     1. (Physics) Any emission of light not ascribable directly to
        incandescence, and therefore occurring at low
        temperatures, as in phosphorescence and fluorescence or
        other luminous radiation resulting from vital processes,
        chemical action, friction, solution, or the influence of


        light or of ultraviolet or cathode rays, etc.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     2. (Zool.)
        (a) The faculty or power of producing light by biological
            processes, as in the firefly and glowworm. Also called
            {bioluminescence}.
        (b) The light produced by biological or biochemical
            processes. Also called {bioluminescence}.
            [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bioluminescence \Bi"o*lu`mi*nes"cence\
     (b[imac]"[-o]*l[=oo]`m[i^]*n[e^]s"ens), n. [Gr. bi`os life +
     luminescence.]
     a type of {luminescence} produced by biological or
     biochemical processes, such as a glowworm glow or the action
     of luciferase on luciferin. A well-known example is that of
     {firefly luminescence}. See also {luciferin}.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bioluminescence
       n : luminescence produced by physiological processes (as in the
           firefly)