SCINTILLATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does scintillation mean? 

• SCINTILLATION (noun)
  The noun SCINTILLATION has 5 senses:

1. (physics) a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle

2. a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash

3. a brilliant display of wit

4. the quality of shining with a bright reflected light

5. the twinkling of the stars caused when changes in the density of the earth's atmosphere produce uneven refraction of starlight

  Familiarity information: SCINTILLATION used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCINTILLATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(physics) a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("scintillation" is a kind of...):

light; visible light; visible radiation ((physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Derivation:

scintillate (physics: fluoresce momentarily when struck by a charged particle or high-energy photon)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

scintillation; sparkling; twinkle

Hypernyms ("scintillation" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)

Derivation:

scintillate (give off)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A brilliant display of wit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("scintillation" is a kind of...):

brilliance; genius (unusual mental ability)

Derivation:

scintillate (be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The quality of shining with a bright reflected light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

glisten; glister; glitter; scintillation; sparkle

Hypernyms ("scintillation" is a kind of...):

brightness (the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white)

Derivation:

scintillate (reflect brightly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The twinkling of the stars caused when changes in the density of the earth's atmosphere produce uneven refraction of starlight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("scintillation" is a kind of...):

fluctuation; wavering (the quality of being unsteady and subject to changes)

Derivation:

scintillate (emit or reflect light in a flickering manner)

 Context examples 

Images are obtained by a scintillation camera.

(Immunoscintigraphy, NCI Thesaurus)

It is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of dyes, smoke screens, scintillation counter crystals, and in organic semiconductor research.

(Anthracene, NCI Thesaurus)

This original camera consisted of one large crystal in which gamma rays were converted to scintillations of light.

(Anger Camera, NCI Thesaurus)