01 n. That which shines at night; -- a fanciful name for phosphorus.
pl.
Noctilucae ((#))
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1.
That which shines at night; -- a fanciful name for phosphorus.(Old Chem.)
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2.
A genus of marine flagellate Infusoria, remarkable for their unusually large size and complex structure, as well as for their phosphorescence. The brilliant diffuse phosphorescence of the sea is often due to myriads of Noctilucae.(Zool.)