Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sensation of light caused by excitation of the retina by mechanical or electrical means rather than by light, as when the eyeballs are pressed through closed lids.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The luminous image produced by pressing the eyeball with the finger or otherwise. It is due to the direct mechanical stimulation of the retina.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Physiol.) A luminous impression produced through excitation of the retina by some cause other than the impingement upon it of rays of light, as by pressure upon the eyeball when the lids are closed. Cf. after-image.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A sensation of lights caused by mechanical or electrical (rather than optical) stimulation of the retina.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French phosphène : Greek phōs, light; see phos– + Greek phainein, to cause to appear, to show; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • Where the new girl had been there was nothing but a twist of phosphene, peanut-inflected; a stirring of empty air.

    Here Comes Another Lesson Stephen O’Connor 2010

  • The patient is instructed not to move his eyes to look directly at the phosphene patterns that are generated during mapping, as eye movement will skew the results, making it necessary to repeat the stimulation sequence.

    Analog Science Fiction and Fact 2004

  • Using genetic engineering, the Pernese bred the fire-lizards into huge "dragons" that, by chewing a phosphene-bearing rock, could breathe fire on Thread, charring it right out of the sky before it could touch the ground.

    Dragon's Kin McCaffrey, Anne 2003

  • Or maybe it's just a phosphene and not a star at all.

    Seeker Blog 2009

  • Man will be given (depending 7 Man knows from biochemical upon his capacity for wisdom), the research, that the cerebral cortex, ability to connect the present net - when injected with an enzyme of work of consciousness with the serotonin, will move slightly, and next universal network that is rotate slowly, releasing tremendous compatible with the education of phosphene patterns. his soul.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows czaragon 2009

  • Trinitization is given to a11 space as space is in man, for he, in phosphene geometries (e.g., stars, plates of the recorder cell, the di - Ascended Masters who work di - actuality, is a thinking membrane wheels, bright dot patterns, etc.) vine template, and the Councils of rectly with the consciousness minds between the luminaries.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows czaragon 2009

  • The 68 O n e of t h e five bodies can manifest the power of a given di - taking man's subjective conscious - phosphene geometries are simply work directly with the template of vine Name which, in turnJ mani - ness body out of his physical body the internal read-out! the many worlds.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows czaragon 2009

  • He also uses some cool words I've never heard before like "phosphene."

    Mission Mission 2008

  • He also uses some cool words I've never heard before like "phosphene."

    Mission Mission 2008

  • He also uses some cool words I've never heard before like "phosphene."

    Mission Mission 2008

Comments

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  • Stop poking my eyeball!

    June 22, 2007

  • When I want to see luminous images, I'll stick with drugs.

    June 22, 2007

  • Hear, hear! Or else, you know, a mystical religious experience. Anything's better than a poke in the eye.

    June 22, 2007

  • From the OED:

    (n). A subjective sensation of light produced by mechanical stimulation of the retina (as by pressure on the eyeball) or by electrical stimulation of various parts of the visual pathway.

    1967 New Yorker 23 Dec. 32/2

    "Now with your knuckles rub your eyelids, seeing
    The phosphenes caper like St. Elmo's fire."

    September 22, 2007

  • See? That's what I said! ;-) Thanks, elsabet.

    September 22, 2007

  • *rubs eyes and looks at definition again*

    February 28, 2012

  • phosphene

    A sensation of light caused by excitation of the retina by mechanical or electrical means rather than by light, as when the eyeballs are pressed through closed lids.

    January 14, 2022