brilliant
Origin of brilliant
synonym study for brilliant
OTHER WORDS FROM brilliant
Words nearby brilliant
VOCAB BUILDER
What does brilliant mean?
Brilliant is commonly used to mean extremely intelligent, as in a brilliant mathematician or a brilliant idea. People considered geniuses are often described as brilliant in this way.
It can also be used to describe something considered outstanding, exceptional, or magnificent, as in a brilliant performance. In the U.K., brilliant is often used in an informal way to mean excellent or awesome.
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.
In fact, the term brilliant cut refers to a type of cut used to increase the sparkliness of gems, especially diamonds. Brilliant can even be used as a noun to refer to such a diamond.
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.
The noun brilliance refers to the quality of someone or something that is brilliant.
Example: It was a brilliant performance from a brilliant musical mind.
Where does brilliant come from?
The first records of the word brilliant come from around 1680. It comes from the French brillant, meaning “shining,” from the French verb briller, “to shine.”
Brilliant was originally used as a way to describe things that literally shine or sparkle, such as the sun or a diamond. Eventually, it started to be used to describe people with shining intellects.
Brilliant cut diamonds are those that are cut in a way that’s intended to maximize their brilliance—a large number of facets are added in order to better catch the light and reflect it back.
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What are some other forms related to brilliant?
- brilliantly (adverb)
- brilliance (noun)
What are some synonyms for brilliant?
What are some words that share a root or word element with brilliant?
What are some words that often get used in discussing brilliant?
How is brilliant used in real life?
Brilliant is usually used in a positive way. It’s especially used to describe very smart people and things that shine.
I started listening to “The Pale Blue Dot” by Carl Sagan on audio book today. I just want Carl Sagan to narrate every aspect of my life. What a brilliant and empathetic mind.
— THE HOOSK IS LOOSE (@WolfenDeschain) October 6, 2020
Top of the Wold. 2 c. after an early frost. Brilliant sunshine. Skylarks. pic.twitter.com/cEMHj9ZuBc
— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) April 7, 2020
Today's all about punctuation: dress simply, choose one brilliant color – and let it burst in the most unexpected of ways…
— Bergdorf Goodman (@Bergdorfs) July 15, 2010
Try using brilliant!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of brilliant?
A. shining
B. gloomy
C. bright
D. vibrant
How to use brilliant in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for brilliant
- a popular circular cut for diamonds and other gemstones in the form of two many-faceted pyramids (the top one truncated) joined at their bases
- a diamond of this cut