scintillation

scintillation
    n 1: (physics) a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor
         when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle
    2: a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash [syn:
       {twinkle}, {scintillation}, {sparkling}]
    3: a brilliant display of wit
    4: the quality of shining with a bright reflected light [syn:
       {glitter}, {glister}, {glisten}, {scintillation}, {sparkle}]
    5: the twinkling of the stars caused when changes in the density
       of the earth's atmosphere produce uneven refraction of
       starlight
    

Scintillation \Scin`til*la"tion\, n. [L. scintillatio: cf. F.
   scintillation.]
   1. The act of scintillating.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A spark or flash emitted in scintillating.
      [1913 Webster]

            These scintillations are . . . the inflammable
            effluences discharged from the bodies collided.
                                                  --Sir T.
                                                  Browne.
      [1913 Webster]
    

78 Moby Thesaurus words for "scintillation":
      aphorism, apothegm, black spot, blink, blinking, bloom, blooping,
      bon mot, boutade, bright idea, bright thought, brilliant idea,
      conceit, coruscation, crack, definition, epigram, facetiae,
      firefly, flare, flash of wit, flight of wit, fringe area, ghost,
      gibe, glance, glimmer, glimmering, glint, glisten, glister,
      glitter, glittering, glowworm, granulation, grid, happy thought,
      hard shadow, image, mot, multiple image, nasty crack, noise,
      persiflage, picture, picture noise, picture shifts, play of wit,
      pleasantry, quip, quips and cranks, rain, repartee, retort,
      riposte, rolling, sally, scanning pattern, scintilla, shading,
      shimmer, shimmering, smart crack, smart saying, snappy comeback,
      snow, snowstorm, spangle, spark, sparkle, stroboscopic light,
      stroke of wit, tinsel, turn of thought, twinkle, twinkling,
      wisecrack, witticism