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
Etymology
Origin of brilliance
First recorded in 1745–55; brilli(ant) + -ance
Explanation
Brilliance is a quality of being intensely bright or vivid. City dwellers might be surprised at the brilliance of the stars in the night sky the first time they go camping in the mountains. We can trace the noun brilliance back to a Latin root meaning "to shine like a precious stone," and now we use it do describe things that glow with light, shine with color, or sparkle with intelligence. The brilliance of your sister's red hair shining in the sun can't begin to compare with her brilliance on the school math team.
Vocabulary lists containing brilliance
Brown Girl Dreaming
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List 4
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ance, -ence
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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.
Manchester City's challenge may depend on Doku continuing to produce moments of brilliance to drag his side towards the finish line.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
Remember that the next time a hedge-fund manager is boasting of his brilliance.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
I’d spent my youth defending “The Devil Wears Prada” with my life, trying to convince detractors weaponizing the words “chick flick” about its brilliance since the wise, old age of 12.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
“That tension — between brilliance and controversy, innovation and scrutiny — is precisely what continues to draw audiences back, and what will likely shape both the film’s reception and its broader cultural impact.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
The lightning, great sheets and lances of brilliance, flared and cracked above and around the machine.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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.
