flash-resistant
|flash-res-is-tant|
/ˈflæʃ.rɪˈzɪs.tənt/
able to withstand a sudden burst (of light or heat)
Etymology
'flash-resistant' is a compound of 'flash' + 'resistant'. 'flash' originates in late Middle English as a word for a sudden burst of light (an imitative/onomatopoeic formation referring to a sudden bright appearance), while 'resistant' comes from French 'résistant' and ultimately from Latin 'resistere' meaning 'to stand back or withstand'.
'flash' developed in Middle English from an imitative notion of a sudden bright burst and remained in English with the meaning 'sudden light or blaze'; 'resistere' in Latin gave rise to Old French/Modern French 'résister'/'résistant', which entered English as 'resistant' in compounds and adjectival uses (19th–20th century) to mean 'able to resist'. The compound 'flash-resistant' is a modern English formation combining these elements to describe materials or items that withstand flashes.
Initially 'flash' simply meant a sudden burst of light; 'resistant' originally meant 'able to stand or hold back'. Over time the combined compound came to specifically denote materials or devices designed to resist the effects of sudden flashes of light or brief energetic/thermal flashes.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not easily affected by or reflecting brief, intense bursts of light (e.g., camera flashes); designed or treated to reduce glare or sudden overexposure.
The camera's lens coating is flash-resistant, which helps reduce glare and overexposure in photos.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
able to withstand or provide protection against a flash event of energy or heat (such as an electrical arc flash or flash fire); used of materials or clothing that resist brief, intense thermal or explosive flashes.
Workers must wear flash-resistant clothing when performing high-voltage maintenance to reduce the risk of burn injuries.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/29 01:34