ultraviolet

IPA/ˌʌltrəˈvaɪələt/
KK[ˌʌltrəvˈaɪəlɪt]IPA/ˌʌltrəˈvaɪələt/

ultraviolet — adjective

  • ultravioletpositive
  • more ultravioletcomparative
  • most ultravioletsuperlative

1. describing a type of light that comes from the sun or from special lamps, with a

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a type of light that comes from the sun or from special lamps, with a wavelength too short for human eyes to see, and that can burn the skin or make it darker when people stay outdoors too long

Example

Meera always wears a wide-brimmed hat to block out ultraviolet rays at the beach.

collocation: ultraviolet rays / ultraviolet light

The optician used an ultraviolet lamp to check for scratches on Gabriel's glasses.

collocation: ultraviolet lamp

Common collocations
  • ultraviolet light
  • ultraviolet radiation
  • ultraviolet rays
  • ultraviolet lamp
  • ultraviolet filter
  • ultraviolet spectrum
Synonyms
  • UV

    common abbreviation used on product labels and in weather forecasts; less formal than the full form

Antonyms
  • infrared

    describes light at the opposite end of the invisible spectrum, with wavelengths longer than red light, felt as heat

Grammar Patterns

ultraviolet + noun

be + ultraviolet

Usage Note

Frequently abbreviated to UV in everyday product labels, weather reports, and informal writing — for example, UV index, UV protection, UV light. The full form ultraviolet is preferred in formal and scientific contexts.

Common Mistakes

The ultraviolet is very strong today.
The UV light is very strong today.
ultraviolet is an adjective; use ultraviolet light / UV light / ultraviolet radiation as a noun phrase.
Infrared light comes from the same part of the spectrum as ultraviolet light.
Infrared and ultraviolet light are at opposite ends of the visible spectrum
infrared has longer wavelengths, ultraviolet has shorter wavelengths.' — Infrared and ultraviolet are not the same and should not be used interchangeably.

Word family

  • UV
    noun (abbreviation)B2
  • ultraviolet radiation
    noun phraseB2
  • ultraviolet light
    noun phraseB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Ultraviolet and infrared describe opposite ends of the invisible light spectrum. Ultraviolet (often shortened to UV) refers to light with wavelengths shorter than visible violet light, commonly linked to sunburn, tanning, and sterilisation lamps. Infrared refers to light with wavelengths longer than red light, often felt as heat and used in remote controls and thermal cameras. UV is the everyday abbreviation found on sunscreen bottles and weather forecasts, while ultraviolet is the full form used in scientific papers and formal writing. For example: 'Check the UV index before you go to the beach' uses the abbreviation naturally, whereas 'Ultraviolet radiation penetrates cloud cover' suits a formal report. Infrared is not a synonym — it is the opposite end of the spectrum, so learners should avoid confusing the two.

ultraviolet ↗UVinfrared ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • ultraviolet light
  • ultraviolet radiation
  • UV index

Prepositions

  • under ultraviolet
  • in ultraviolet
  • with ultraviolet

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed in the early 1800s from the Latin prefix ultra- (meaning 'beyond') and violet, the colour at the end of the visible light spectrum. Scientists at that time discovered that radiation existed just beyond the violet band, which human eyes cannot see. The term entered English around 1840 as the study of electromagnetism developed.

First known use

1840

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1