lambent
Americanadjective
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softly bright or radiant.
a lambent light.
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running or moving lightly over a surface.
lambent tongues of flame.
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dealing lightly and gracefully with a subject; brilliantly playful.
lambent wit.
adjective
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(esp of a flame) flickering softly over a surface
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glowing with soft radiance
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(of wit or humour) light or brilliant
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lambent
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin lambent- (stem of lambēns ) “lapping,” present participle of lambere “to lick, wash” (said of water or fire); akin to lap 3 ; see -ent
Explanation
Lambent is a word describing a type of light that is subdued or soft. A lambent glow is not a bright, blinding light. Lambent comes from a Latin word meaning "lick," and that fact may help you remember the word: lambent lights or flames aren't solid or powerful. The light is flickering — almost like the licking of a snake's tongue. Lambent light flickers or shines softly. It's not a powerful or overwhelming light. A candle in a dark room is a great example of a lambent light. Lambent light is better for setting a mood than lighting up a room brightly.
Vocabulary lists containing lambent
All Aglow: Light Lingo
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Circe
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Martin Eden
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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.
Breathtaking ombres of color ascend from the horizon, even outside its “golden hour” — the famously lambent period before sunset — even without the haze that amplifies these atmospheric special effects.
From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2024
Half a century has passed since humans set foot on the moon, but the lunar rocks that they gathered are still revealing important information about Earth’s lambent neighbor.
From National Geographic • Oct. 23, 2023
I ran my hands over buttery silk button-downs in deep purple and lambent teal during a Tom Ford for Gucci capsule collection, and slipped into a cream column dress with a cutout at the hip.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2023
It has sustained years of use throughout high school, college, and beyond, the lambent red glow of its numbers scarcely dimmed by time or age.
From The Verge • Nov. 25, 2021
The oil lamp to her right bathed one side of her face in lambent light; the other was cast in shadow.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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.
