brilliance

[bril-yuhns]

noun

1. great brightness; luster.

   the brilliance of a fine diamond.

   Synonyms: refulgence, effulgence, radiance
   Antonyms: dullness

2. excellence or distinction; conspicuous talent, mental ability, etc.

   Synonyms: genius, preeminence, illustriousness
   Antonyms: dullness

3. splendor, elegance, or magnificence.

   the brilliance of the court of Louis XIV.

4. Optics.,  that luminance of a body consisting of its saturation and brightness.

brilliance

/ ˈbrɪljəns /

noun

1. great brightness; radiance

2. excellence or distinction in physical or mental ability; exceptional talent

3. splendour; magnificence

   the brilliance of the royal court

4. physics a former term for luminance

Other Word Forms

• overbrilliance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brilliance¹

First recorded in 1745–55; brilli(ant) + -ance

Example Sentences

You have also got the individual brilliance and capability of Henry Pollock - able to grab a ball one-handed and be in the right place at the right time to score a vital try.

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Boredom breeds brilliance and creativity, so don't be bothered when your kids complain they're bored.

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Perhaps most pleased was the coach who told Dent that he wanted to retain the offensive brilliance he had shown at New Mexico while cutting down on turnovers and tightening up on defense.

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However, such was Rodrigues' brilliance - her speed between the wickets, her innovation by shuffling across her stumps, her pinpoint ability to pick the gaps between fielders - that the usually unflappable Australia were rocked.

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For all that Australia can point to costly errors, it is the brilliance of Rodrigues and her all-time World Cup innings that will live long in the memory.

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Related Words

• cleverness www.thesaurus.com
• excellence 
• inspiration 
• intelligence 
• inventiveness www.thesaurus.com
• talent 
• wisdom 

When To Use

What does brilliance mean?

Brilliance commonly refers to the quality of extreme intelligence. People considered geniuses are often said to possess or display brilliance.Brilliance is a noun form of the adjective brilliant, which commonly means extremely intelligent but can also mean outstanding, exceptional, or magnificent, as in a brilliant performance. These senses of brilliant are based on its more general meaning—shining brightly or sparkling. Bright sunshine can be described as brilliant in this way. A very sparkly gem such as a diamond could also be described as brilliant. Brilliance can be used in these contexts to refer to the brightness or sparkliness of such things.Brilliant can also be used to mean vivid or vibrant. This sense of the word is especially used to describe colors and sounds that stand out due to being especially strong and clear. Brilliance refers to the quality of such things.Example: I cannot overstate the brilliance of the performance—it was magnificent in every way.