mercury-vapor lamp

[ mur-kyuh-ree-vey-per ]

noun

, Electricity.

1. a lamp producing a light with a high actinic and ultraviolet content by means of an electric arc in mercury vapor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mercury-vapor lamp¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

A person's face looks ghastly by the greenish light of a mercury-vapor lamp.

From Project Gutenberg

At night a large mercury-vapor lamp in the center of the room, supplemented by a number of well-placed incandescent electric lights, gives ample illumination.

From Project Gutenberg

In ordinary photographic printing tungsten lamps are widely used, but in blue-printing the white flame-arc and the mercury-vapor lamp are generally employed.

From Project Gutenberg

A red postage stamp looks greenish gray in the green light of a mercury-vapor lamp.

From Project Gutenberg