triboluminescence

noun

tri·​bo·​lu·​mi·​nes·​cence ˌtrī-bō-ˌlü-mə-ˈne-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce triboluminescence (audio)
ˌtri-
: luminescence due to friction
triboluminescent
ˌtrī-bō-ˌlü-mə-ˈne-sᵊnt How to pronounce triboluminescence (audio)
ˌtri-
adjective

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Triboluminescenz, from tribo- tribo- + Luminescenz luminescence

Note: The term was introduced by the German physicist Elhard Wiedemann (1852-1928) in "Ueber Fluorescenz und Phosphorescenz, I. Abhandlung," Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Neue Folge, Band 34 (1888), pp. 448.

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of triboluminescence was in 1889

Rhymes for triboluminescence

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Browse Nearby Words

tribology
triboluminescence
tribometer
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Cite this Entry

“Triboluminescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triboluminescence. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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Medical Definition

triboluminescence

noun
tri·​bo·​lu·​mi·​nes·​cence ˈtrī-bō-ˌlü-mə-ˈnes-ᵊn(t)s, ˈtrib-ō- How to pronounce triboluminescence (audio)
: luminescence due to friction
triboluminescent
-ᵊnt How to pronounce triboluminescence (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on triboluminescence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about triboluminescence

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