Plain English Meaning
A traditional light bulb that glows because a thin wire inside it gets hot enough to give off light.
Full Definition
Producing light by heating a filament (typically tungsten) until it glows. Incandescent bulbs emit a warm white light across a broad spectrum but are relatively inefficient, generating significant heat and having shorter service life than LED alternatives.
Context Anchor
Seen in pilot equipment discussions about flashlights, cockpit lighting, and other small electric lights used around the aircraft.
Derivation
From the Latin 'incandescere,' meaning 'to become hot' or 'to glow white.' The word captures exactly how the bulb works: something gets so hot it begins to glow.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots choose flashlights and cockpit lighting carefully. Incandescent bulbs hot, drain batteries faster, and more easily than LEDs, which matters during a when a failed can leave you to read or .