incandescence

/ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns/

//ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns// noun

"incandescence" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incandescence” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - the emission of visible light by a hot body

Corpus desk

Index EN-incandescence · incandescence · English

incandescence · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for incandescence
PropertyValue
Headwordincandescence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incandescence” sits in English frequency

incandescence falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

incandescence is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for incandescence, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French incandescence. Morphologically incandesce + -ence. The correct English form is incandescence, spelled I-N-C-A-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    the emission of visible light by a hot body
  2. 2
    the light so emitted
  3. 3
    great emotion, especially anger

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how incandescence appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. That sensual triggering which is to awaken them into the incandescence of Gay Consciousness to which world of Spirit a loving sexual flowering is both "open sesame" and Gateway.

Etymology

Borrowed from French incandescence. Morphologically incandesce + -ence.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incandescence"?
"incandescence" is spelled I-N-C-A-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns/.
What does "incandescence" mean?
As a noun, "incandescence" means: the emission of visible light by a hot body
How do you pronounce "incandescence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incandescence" is /ˌɪn.kænˈdɛs.əns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incandescence"?
Borrowed from French incandescence. Morphologically incandesce + -ence. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list