-escent, suffix
forming adjs., repr. L. -ēscentem, the ending of pr. pples. of vbs. in -ēscĕre, chiefly inceptives, f. vbs. of state in -ēre. Primarily occurring in words ad. L. pples., as deliquescent, effervescent, obsolescent, putrescent, where the general sense is ‘beginning to assume a certain state’. Hence in recent times the suffix has been used (both in Eng. and in other European langs.) to form adjs. upon ns., as in alkalescent (? after acescent), and in several words referring to play of light or colour, as flourescent, iridescent, opalescent, phosphorescent.