Neologism include "laser" (1960) from Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, "robotics" (1941), "agitprop" (1930). The term "neologism" is first attested in English in 1772, borrowed from French "néologisme" (1734). A proponent of a new word or doctrine may be called a neologist. Neologists might study cultural and ethnic vernacular. The term "neologism" has a broader meaning that includes not only "an entirely new lexical item" but also an existing word whose meaning has been altered. Sometimes, the latter process is called "semantic shifting", or "semantic extension". Neologisms are distinct from a person's "idiolect", one's unique patterns of vocabulary, grammar,
Stimulated emission Stimulated emission Stimulated emission is the process by which an incoming photon of a specific frequency can interact with an excited atomic electron (or other excited molecular state), causing it to drop to a lower energy level. The liberated energy transfers to the electromagnetic field, creating a new photon with a phase, frequency, polarization, and direction of travel that are all identical to the photons of the incident wave. This is in contrast to spontaneous emission, which occurs at random intervals without regard to the ambient electromagnetic field. The process is identical in form to atomic absorption in which the