nonlight

Nonlight is a term encountered in various disciplines to denote the absence or negation of light, or phenomena not characterized by light as perceived by the human eye. It is not a standard, widely defined concept in modern physics, and there is no single agreed-upon technical definition.

In scientific contexts, light generally refers to electromagnetic radiation within the visible spectrum. The absence of such radiation is typically described as darkness or extinction, rather than as nonlight. When the term nonlight is used, it often refers to the lack of detectable light rather than to a distinct physical category. Some informal usages extend nonlight to nonvisible wavelengths (for example infrared or ultraviolet) or to states that do not emit light, but these uses are idiosyncratic and not part of a formal framework.

In philosophy, art, and literature, nonlight may be employed metaphorically to signify void, ignorance, or negation, contrasting with light as illumination, knowledge, or revelation. This figurative usage appears in discussions of perception, aesthetics, or spirituality, where nonlight can symbolize alternative ways of knowing or being.

Overall, nonlight is a peripheral term whose meaning depends on context. It lacks a consistent scientific definition, existing mainly as a poetic, philosophical, or informal label for the absence or negation of light rather than for a distinct physical phenomenon.

See also: darkness, shadow, light, absence of light.