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
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.
Instead, they measure subtle changes in brightness from the combined light of the star and the orbiting planet as it moves.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
I need something that moves with me — something that honors the impulse to decide, mid-meal, you know what, this needs a little brightness, and makes it effortless to follow through.
From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026
Distinctive features of the Lyrids are their colours and brightness, along with exceptionally bright fireballs from time to time, outshining the planet Venus.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
For brightness, add lemon zest — the aromatic lift without the watery slack.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
The room was dark, but strands of light streamed in through the blinds—cracks of brightness and swirling dust in the midst of all this empty—and I could read the titles on the bookshelf.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
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.
