effulgence
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of effulgence
Explanation
Your future's so bright, you've got to wear shades. Really, it's giving off blinding, radiant rays of light — what some people would call effulgence. Effulgence is brightness taken to the extreme. You may be dazzled by it, stunned by it, or even overcome by it. Usually used to refer to the sun or some other mega-star, effulgence can also be used more figuratively. If you're met with the mega-watt effulgence of the most beautiful movie star, take a moment to marvel at the rays of light shooting from her perfect smile. Then snap out of it and ask for an autograph.
Vocabulary lists containing effulgence
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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!
Lord of the Flies
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!
A Separate Peace
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.
He is a golden, godlike being from whom a healing effulgence emanates at all times.
From Washington Post • Jul. 28, 2021
Because Loomis Todd is played by Kathleen Chalfant, an actress of rigor and effulgence, the play also provides a master class in how to take a shopworn form and make it nearly new.
From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2019
But the effulgence of “No Shape” frees Hadreas.
From The New Yorker • May 8, 2017
On a clear day icebergs can be seen at a long distance, owing to their brightness, and at night to their effulgence.
From Scientific American • Apr. 10, 2012
There was a soft effulgence in the east The moon was coming up, and its mystic shimmer was casting a million lights across the distant restless water.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
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.
