SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN adjective radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.
lighted up or illuminated; well-lighted: the luminous ballroom.
brilliant intellectually; enlightened or enlightening, as a writer or a writer's works: a luminous concept; luminous prose.
clear; readily intelligible: a concise, luminous report.
Origin of luminous First recorded in
1400–50; late Middle English word from
Latin word
lūminōsus. See
lumen ,
-ous Related forms lu·mi·nous·ly , adverb lu·mi·nous·ness , noun non·lu·mi·nous , adjective non·lu·mi·nous·ly , adverb non·lu·mi·nous·ness , noun self-lu·mi·nous , adjective sem·i·lu·mi·nous , adjective sem·i·lu·mi·nous·ly , adverb sem·i·lu·mi·nous·ness , noun un·lu·mi·nous , adjective un·lu·mi·nous·ly , adverb un·lu·mi·nous·ness , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for luminous lustrous ,
vivid ,
brilliant ,
radiant ,
incandescent ,
lucid ,
translucent ,
shining ,
bright ,
beaming ,
clear ,
crystal ,
effulgent ,
fulgent ,
illuminated ,
lambent ,
lit ,
luminescent ,
refulgent ,
resplendent Examples from the Web for luminous Contemporary Examples of luminous There he claims he saw a luminous object change colors several times then vanish into the night sky.
Reviews when the play was at Steppenwolf in Chicago described her as luminous .
Her luminous face has been preserved forever, and multiplies with every tribute.
Silverstone will “show you the way to have a luminous , present, ailment-free pregnancy.”
The luminous 31-year-old actress who just took home an Academy Award has absolutely nothing to do.
Historical Examples of luminous The bridegroom regarded her with a face that was luminous of delight.
They were dark, luminous and velvet soft as they watched my struggle.
He looked back at it only once, and beheld the luminous glow of the campfires.
That was the soul and secret of our rapid and luminous onward march.
There was a luminous whiteness in the sky that affected the eyes, as snow does.
British Dictionary definitions for luminous adjective radiating or reflecting light; shining; glowing luminous colours
(not in technical use) exhibiting luminescence luminous paint
full of light; well-lit
(of a physical quantity in photometry) evaluated according to the visual sensation produced in an observer rather than by absolute energy measurements luminous flux ; luminous intensity Compare radiant easily understood; lucid; clear
enlightening or wise
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Derived Forms luminously , adverb luminousness , noun Word Origin for luminous C15: from Latin lūminōsus full of light, from lūmen light
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
Word Origin and History for luminous adj. early 15c., "full of light," from Latin luminosus "shining, full of light," from lumen (genitive luminis ) "light," related to lucere "to shine" (see light (n.)). Related: Luminously .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
adj. Emitting light, especially emitting self-generated light.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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