lightness
1 Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being light in weight.
the amazing lightness of the new metal.
-
the quality of being agile, nimble, or graceful.
- Synonyms:
- sprightliness, nimbleness, grace, agility
-
lack of pressure or burdensomeness.
-
lack of seriousness; levity in actions, thoughts, or speech.
That kind of lightness seemed out of place.
-
gaiety of manner, speech, style, etc.; cheerfulness.
His lightness was just what the party needed.
noun
Etymology
Origin of lightness1
1175–1225; Middle English. See light 2, -ness
Origin of lightness2
before 1050; Middle English; Old English līhtness. See light 1, -ness
Vocabulary lists containing lightness
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.
In that vision, hue, saturation and lightness would be determined entirely by geometry and the principle of greatest color similarity.
From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026
The truest to buttery brioche in flavor and texture, and through its lightness, one could almost convince oneself this is breakfast.
From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026
“I wanted to give them sincerity and emotional weight as well as lightness and humor, and the actors shared that.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026
"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 • Jan. 26, 2026
Sometimes the king joined them, and I saw Hamlet’s father grow dark with disapproval at their lightness.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
