dimming
調光
解説 Definition
dimming は dim（暗くする、薄暗くなる）の現在分詞・動名詞で、名詞としては「調光」や「明るさを落とすこと」を意味します。照明や画面の明るさを段階的に下げる場面でよく使われます。
Dimming is the act or process of reducing the brightness of a light, lamp, display, or similar source. It may be performed gradually, automatically, or through an adjustable control.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
原形 dim に -ing を付けると、短母音＋子音で終わるため m を重ねて dimming となります。名詞では照明や画面の「調光」を表し、automatic dimming、dimming feature の組み合わせが典型的です。完全に消す turning off ではなく、明るさを下げる過程だと区別します。
Start with the adjective and verb dim, meaning “not bright” or “to make less bright.” Since dim has a short vowel followed by one final consonant, the m is doubled before -ing: dim becomes dimming. Picture a theater slowly lowering its lights before a film; that gradual reduction is dimming, not switching the lights off. Common combinations include “automatic dimming,” “screen dimming,” and “a dimming feature.” The spelling rule, the image of decreasing brightness, and these technical collocations together make the noun easy to recognize and use.
例文
The dimming feature makes the lamp comfortable at night.
調光機能のおかげで、そのランプは夜でも快適に使えます。
Dimming the screen can reduce eye strain in a dark room.
暗い部屋では画面を暗くすると目の疲れを減らせます。
The theater uses automatic dimming to create a smooth transition before the movie starts.
その映画館では、上映前に滑らかに雰囲気を変えるため自動調光を使っています。
dimming の類義語・関連語
dimming の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語 dimm（暗い）に由来し、ゲルマン祖語 *dimmaz に遡る。dim+ing で「光を弱めること」→「調光」。語根は北欧語にも共通し、スウェーデン語 dimma（霧）と同源。関連語: dim（薄暗い）、dimmer（調光器）。暗さの原義から光量を調節する意味が派生した。
Dimming is formed from dim plus the suffix -ing, with the final m doubled according to the usual English spelling rule. Dim comes from Old English dimm, meaning “dark, obscure, or faint,” and is related to words in other Germanic languages. Its modern verbal sense developed naturally from the description of weak light: to dim something is to make its light less intense.
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