Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Candescent By Etymonline

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Origin and history of candescent

candescent(adj.)

"glowing, incandescent," 1824, from Latin candescentem (nominative candescens), present participle of candescere "to become white, begin to gleam," inchoative of candere "to shine, to glow" (from PIE root *kand- "to shine"). Related: Candescence.

also from 1824

Entries linking to candescent

*kand-

also *kend-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine."

It might form all or part of: candela; candelabrum; candescent; candid; candidate; candle; candor; chandelier; chandler; frankincense; incandescence; incandescent; incendiary; incense (n.) "substance producing a sweet smell when burned;" incense (v.1) "to provoke, anger."

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit cand- "to give light, shine," candra- "shining, glowing, moon;" Greek kandaros "coal;" Latin candere "to shine;" Welsh cann "white," Middle Irish condud "fuel."

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Trends of candescent

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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protocolmid-15c., prothogol, "prologue;" 1540s, prothogall, "draft of a document, minutes of a transaction or negotiation, original of any writing" (senses now obsolete), from French prothocole (c. 1200, Modern French protocole), from Medieval Latin protocollum "draft," literally "the fisecretarylate 14c., secretarie, "person entrusted with secrets or private and confidential matters" (a sense now obsolete), from Medieval Latin secretarius "clerk, notary, scribe; confidential officer, confidant," a title applied to various confidential officers, noun use of an adjective chessvery ancient game of skill with 32 pieces, played by two on a checkered board of 64 squares, 13c., from Old French esches "chessmen," plural of eschec "game of chess, chessboard; checkmate" (see check (n.1)), so called from the key move of the game. Modern French distinguishes écenemyearly 13c., "one hateful toward and intent on harming (someone)," from Old French enemi (12c., Modern French ennemi), earlier inimi (9c.) "enemy, adversary, foe; demon, the Devil," from Latin inimicus "an enemy," literally "an unfriend," noun use of adjective meaning "hostile, unargumentearly 14c., "statements and reasoning in support of a proposition or causing belief in a doubtful matter," from Old French arguement "reasoning, opinion; accusation, charge" (13c.), from Latin argumentum "a logical argument; evidence, ground, support, proof," from arguere "make cMaryfem. proper name, Old English Maria, Marie, name of the mother of Jesus, from Latin Maria, from Greek Mariam, Maria, from Aramaic Maryam, from Hebrew Miryam, name of the sister of Moses (Exodus xv), a word of unknown origin, said to mean literally "rebellion." The nursery rhyme "playMiddle English pleien, from Old English plegan, plegian "move lightly and quickly, occupy or busy oneself, amuse oneself; engage in active exercise; frolic; engage in children's play; make sport of, mock; perform music." It is from Proto-West Germanic *plegōjanan "occupy oneself Jesuspersonal name of the Christian Savior, late 12c.; it is the Greek form of Joshua, used variously in translations of the Bible. From Late Latin Iesus (properly pronounced as three syllables), from Greek Iesous, which is an attempt to render into Greek the Aramaic (Semitic) proper fatelate 14c., "one's lot or destiny; predetermined course of life;" also "one's guiding spirit," from Old French fate and directly from Latin fata (source also of Spanish hado, Portuguese fado, Italian fato), neuter plural of fatum "prophetic declaration of what must be, oracle, prerock[stone, mass of mineral matter], Middle English rokke, roche "stone as a substance; large rocky formation, rocky height or outcrop, crag," from Old English rocc (as in stanrocc "stone rock or obelisk") and directly from Old North French roque, variant of Old French roche, which i

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescentCopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescent">Etymology of candescent by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of candescent. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescentCopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of candescent," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed January 20, 2026, https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescent.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of candescent." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescent. Accessed 20 January, 2026.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of candescent." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/candescent (accessed January 20, 2026).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

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TrendingDictionary entries near candescent

• cancer
• cancerous
• cancrivorous
• candela
• candelabrum
• candescent
• candid
• candidacy
• candidate
• candied
• candle

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