brightness
Americannoun
-
the quality of being bright.
-
Optics. the luminance of a body, apart from its hue or saturation, that an observer uses to determine the comparative luminance of another body. Pure white has the maximum brightness, and pure black the minimum brightness.
noun
-
the condition of being bright
-
physics a former name for luminosity
-
psychol the experienced intensity of light
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of brightness
before 950; Middle English brihtnes, Old English beorhtnes. See bright, -ness
Vocabulary lists containing brightness
Space Science (Astronomy) - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physics - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physics - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
To make things easier on the eyes, go to Settings > Display & Brightness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025
“Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.”
From Salon • Aug. 19, 2025
Here’s what they do: Notifications — tap to pull down the notification shade Screenshot Brightness Volume Starting with the Fold 4 and Flip 4, you’ll see a fifth option: Touchpad.
From The Verge • Aug. 12, 2022
The 49-year-old American had composed “The Brightness of Light,” an expanded song cycle that was premiered at Tanglewood in July 2019, based on his earlier “Letters from Georgia O’Keefe.”
From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2021
That’s the day of the Festival of Pure Brightness.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
