escent

Escent is a productive suffix in English used to form adjectives that express a state or process of becoming. It derives from the Latin participial suffix -escens, from the verb escere “to begin to be, to grow,” and is closely related to the noun suffix -escence.

Typically, -escent attaches to stems of various origins to indicate ongoing change or development. It is common in scientific and literary vocabulary and often denotes a qualitative tendency rather than a completed condition. Examples include adolescent (in the stage of growing toward adulthood), senescent (aging), effervescent (bubbling or vivacious), efflorescent (blossoming forth), luminescent or bioluminescent (emitting light), and iridescent (showing shifting colors). Evanescent (lasting a short time) is also widely used and conveys a transient quality.

Pronunciation of -escent is typically /-ˈsɛnt/ or /-sənt/ depending on the word, with stress placed on the root. In contrast, related noun-forming suffix -escence yields words such as adolescence, luminescence, and fluorescence, which name states or phenomena rather than states of becoming. Both suffixes share a common Latin origin but serve different grammatical roles.