resplendent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- resplendence noun
- resplendently adverb
- self-resplendent adjective
- unresplendent adjective
- unresplendently adverb
Etymology
Origin of resplendent
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin resplendent- (stem of resplendēns ), present participle of resplendēre “to shine brightly,” equivalent to re- re- + splend(ēre) “shine” ( see splendor) + -ent- -ent
Explanation
Someone or something that is resplendent has great beauty and is a pleasure to behold. "She was there, at the base of the stairs, resplendent in her flowing gown and jewels." When people or things are resplendent, they are dazzling, splendiferous, glorious, or lovely. The adjective resplendent comes from a Latin word that means “to shine brightly.” The gilded entranceway was resplendent in the golden glow of the afternoon light. When he flashed his resplendent smile, she was helpless against his charms.
Vocabulary lists containing resplendent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Armitage’s resplendent translation, proceeding with nerve, wisdom and necessary audacity, proves that literature does not progress so much as deepen, circling the same obsessions with ever-renewed urgency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
The feature had aimed "to create a sumptuous and resplendent atmosphere", the hotel's parent company said in a filing Wednesday.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
Decked out in a resplendent orange-and-blue-striped zoot suit symbolizing the colors of his beloved New York Knicks, Spike Lee hit the Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet in May in full boogie mode.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025
Just a few miles from Life Center, an evangelical megachurch that hosted Elon Musk late in the 2024 election season, Pastor Best continues to transform his resplendent church into a community mission.
From Salon • Jul. 21, 2025
He saw men, resplendent in white uniforms, running effortlessly backward against a field of deep green.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
