ultraviolet
adjective
ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let
| \ ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-(ə-)lət
\
\
Definition of ultraviolet
1
: situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end
—used of radiation having a wavelength shorter than wavelengths of visible light and longer than those of X-rays
2
: relating to, producing, or employing ultraviolet radiation
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Examples of ultraviolet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But many scientists think the methane was destroyed by chemical reactions with Earth’s first ozone, produced when ultraviolet light from the sun struck the oxygen molecules. — Eric Hand, Science | AAAS, "Shock and thaw? Earth’s oldest asteroid impact may have helped lift the planet out of a deep freeze," 27 Aug. 2019 These neutral atoms then absorbed the bright ultraviolet light coming from the first stars. — Quanta Magazine, "Earliest Black Hole Gives Rare Glimpse of Ancient Universe," 6 Dec. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ultraviolet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for ultraviolet
ultraviolet
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of ultraviolet
technical
—used to describe rays of light that cannot be seen and that are slightly shorter than the rays of violet light
See the full definition for ultraviolet in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ultraviolet
adjective
ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let
| \ ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-ə-lət
\
\
Kids Definition of ultraviolet
: relating to, producing, or being energy that is like light but has a slightly shorter wavelength and lies beyond the violet end of the spectrum
ultraviolet
adjective
ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let
| \ ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-(ə-)lət
\
\
Medical Definition of ultraviolet
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end
—used of radiation having a wavelength shorter than wavelengths of visible light and longer than those of X-rays
2
: relating to, producing, or employing ultraviolet radiation
ultraviolet
nounMedical Definition of ultraviolet (Entry 2 of 2)
: ultraviolet radiation