brilliance
Americannoun
-
great brightness; luster.
the brilliance of a fine diamond.
- Synonyms:
- refulgence, effulgence, radiance
- Antonyms:
- dullness
-
excellence or distinction; conspicuous talent, mental ability, etc.
- Synonyms:
- genius, preeminence, illustriousness
- Antonyms:
- dullness
-
splendor, elegance, or magnificence.
the brilliance of the court of Louis XIV.
-
Optics. that luminance of a body consisting of its saturation and brightness.
noun
-
great brightness; radiance
-
excellence or distinction in physical or mental ability; exceptional talent
-
splendour; magnificence
the brilliance of the royal court
-
physics a former term for luminance
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
- overbrilliance noun
Etymology
Origin of brilliance
First recorded in 1745–55; brilli(ant) + -ance
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.
When he kick-started the bedlam with a goal of balletic brilliance, McTominay entered the history books.
From BBC
Peterson has shown flashes of brilliance, but has also missed time with mysterious injuries and seen his play flag down the stretch.
I’m envious of Annie’s brilliance, of course, but we speak the same writing language and we love it equally.
From Los Angeles Times
The glowing sky lit the room with a strange brilliance.
From Literature
Okrent highlights the emotional frailties that coexisted with the brilliance and generosity.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
