noun A chemical compound that glows blue when it reacts with certain oxidizing agents, widely used by forensic investigators to detect trace blood.
- The crime scene technician sprayed luminol across the floorboards, revealing faint blue streaks under UV light.
verb To test a surface or sample with luminol in order to find hidden traces of blood.
- The State Police come in later and find this stuff, but you know where they don't find any blood is in Omar Evans's office. They luminoled that whole place, and nothing.
— Rebecca Makkai, I Have Some Questions for You (2024)
- Investigators luminoled the entire apartment after the carpet had clearly been scrubbed clean.
- The Dassey garage was never luminoled or checked for forensic evidence of any type; blood found between the Dassey garage and residence was never tested.
— John Ferak, Wrecking Crew: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery (2023)
- He sighs. "The cops luminoled everyone at the hospital right after they got there. They all came out clean as a whistle.
— Antoinette van Heugten, Saving Max (2021)
