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. 2017 Powerful ultraviolet radiation flares from red dwarfs could help uncover hidden biospheres throughout the galaxy by triggering a protective reaction from any lifeforms on exoplanets known as biofluorescence. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "If We're Ever Going to Find Aliens, It'll Be Because They Glow in the Dark," 23 Aug. 2019 Juvenile grayling are scheduled to arrive soon at the Oden State Fish Hatchery in Emmet County, where an ultraviolet water disinfection system recently was installed. — USA TODAY, "Milestone rhino, Bigfoot shooting, jailed for feeding cats: News from around our 50 states," 1 Aug. 2019 Roughly 90% of the ozone in our atmosphere can be found between 15km and 35km above the Earth's surface, in a band that plays a crucial role in absorbing harmful ultraviolet sunlight. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "While ozone is recovering, we’re doing things to prolong the process," 30 July 2019 However, other experts aren’t convinced that CBD oil is as effective as current therapies, which include topical steroid creams and ointments, topical vitamin D creams, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory creams, and ultraviolet light therapy. — Lambeth Hochwald, Health.com, "Can CBD Relieve Psoriasis Symptoms? Here’s What Doctors Are Saying," 9 July 2019 The Clementine mission succeeded in mapping the moon's surface in wavelengths other than visible light, from ultraviolet to infrared. — Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "A brief history of moon exploration," 5 July 2019 Beauty Awards 2019 22 Slides One of the top beauty themes of the year was daring, convention-bucking color with midnight blue lips, ultraviolet eyes, and celestial glitter aglow returning to the spotlight. — Glamour, "Beauty Awards: The 22 Best Makeup Products of the Year," 25 Mar. 2019These 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