Legal Writing

The -escent Suffix

By Sharon

My five year old is now reading fluently and as a result is asking all sorts of questions about the meanings of words. The other day, she asked why fluorescent bulbs were so named and I realized that I had absolutely no idea, so I set out to find out more about this suffix.

It turns out that -escent is used in two ways. The first relates to the play of light and color and is seen in words such as:

• fluorescent - having a type of luminescence caused by the absorption of radiation
• iridescent - having a lustrous, rainbow like play of color
• pearlescent - having a pearly luster
• opalescent - reflecting an iridescent light
• phosphorescent - the quality of luminescence without heat
• incandescent - white or glowing with intense heat
• luminescent - low temperature emission of light

The other use of -escent indicates a change of state. Something may be beginning to change, have changed slightly or resemble another object. That use gives us words such as

• obsolescent - becoming obsolete
• quiescent - becoming quiet
• arborescent - resembling a tree
• effervescent - beginning to boil or bubble
• adolescent - becoming an adult
• convalescent - recovering health gradually after being ill
• florescent - beginning to flower

Related suffixes are -esce and -escence (as in convalesce and convalescence)

The -escent Suffix

Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on October 11, 2008 (boomark / email).