Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

lightness

1 American  
[lahyt-nis] / ˈlaɪt nɪs /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being light lights in weight.

    the amazing lightness of the new metal.

  2. the quality of being agile, nimble, or graceful.

    Synonyms:
    sprightliness, nimbleness, grace, agility

  3. lack of pressure or burdensomeness.

  4. lack of seriousness; levity in actions, thoughts, or speech.

    That kind of lightness seemed out of place.

  5. gaiety of manner, speech, style, etc.; cheerfulness.

    His lightness was just what the party needed.
lightness 2 American  
[lahyt-nis] / ˈlaɪt nɪs /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being light lights or illuminated.

  2. thin or pale coloration.

  3. the relative degree to which an object reflects light, lights, especially light lights of complementary or nearly complementary colors.

lightness British  
/ ˈlaɪtnɪs /

noun

  1. the attribute of an object or colour that enables an observer to judge the extent to which the object or colour reflects or transmits incident light See also colour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lightness1

1175–1225; Middle English. See light 2, -ness

Origin of lightness1

before 1050; Middle English; Old English līhtness. See light 1, -ness

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.

"I think we all needed a little bit of levity and lightness" and "to remember that we're all community and we can look out for each other," one participant tells AFP.

From Barron's

Root's application at the crease, lightness on his feet and ability to pick the Sri Lankan spinners made him the key man in England's chase against the turning ball.

From BBC

The tears still drip, but I also feel this lightness inside that becomes a smile, and then I’m laughing a little because it’s coming back.

From Literature

Arranged in a series of eight sections, the work has space between each panel, which gives a lightness to the otherwise dense construction, making it seem to hover ever so slightly off the wall.

From The Wall Street Journal

“But like lightness, darkness stems from a reflection of the world.”

From The Wall Street Journal

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.