incandescenza

incandescence

noun een-kahn-deh-SHEN-tsah Rare

Origin: From Latin incandescere (to glow with heat), from in- + candere (to shine).

Also means

white heat

Usage Note

Incandescenza describes the light emitted by a material heated to very high temperature — the basis of the old lampadina a incandescenza (incandescent light bulb). It is feminine, like most Italian nouns ending in -enza. In figurative use it can suggest blazing intensity or passion.

Examples

"L'incandescenza del metallo era abbagliante."

Natural Translation

The incandescence of the metal was blinding.

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