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noctilucine. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
noctilucine, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
noctilucine in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
noctilucine you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From Latin noctilūca (“firefly”) + -ine. Term coined by British scientist Thomas Lamb Phipson (1833–1908). It appeared first in his article On noctilucine, the phosphorescent principle of luminous animals, published in The chemical new, vol. 32, no. 832, on November 5, 1875.
Noun
noctilucine (uncountable)
- (biochemistry) A nitrogenous substance in fireflies, glowworms and marine animals, once believed to be responsible for their luminescence.
Usage notes
Translations
substance once believed to be responsible for the bioluminescence