luminous

[loo-muh-nuhs]

adjective

1. radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.

   Synonyms: brilliant, resplendent, radiant, lucid
   Antonyms: dark

2. lighted up or illuminated; well-lighted.

   the luminous ballroom.

   Antonyms: dark

3. brilliant intellectually; enlightened or enlightening, as a writer or a writer's works.

   a luminous concept; luminous prose.

   Synonyms: intelligent, bright
   Antonyms: stupid

4. clear; readily intelligible.

   a concise, luminous report.

   Synonyms: lucid, perspicuous, understandable
   Antonyms: obscure

luminous

/ ˈluːmɪnəs /

adjective

1. radiating or reflecting light; shining; glowing

   luminous colours

2. (not in technical use) exhibiting luminescence

   luminous paint

3. full of light; well-lit

4. (of a physical quantity in photometry) evaluated according to the visual sensation produced in an observer rather than by absolute energy measurements Compare radiant

   luminous flux

   luminous intensity

5. easily understood; lucid; clear

6. enlightening or wise

Other Word Forms

• luminously adverb
• luminousness noun
• nonluminous adjective
• nonluminously adverb
• nonluminousness noun
• self-luminous adjective
• semiluminous adjective
• semiluminously adverb
• semiluminousness noun
• unluminous adjective
• unluminously adverb
• unluminousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of luminous¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word lūminōsus. See lumen, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of luminous¹

C15: from Latin lūminōsus full of light, from lūmen light

Example Sentences

Most massive stars that explode as supernovae are the brightest and most luminous objects in the sky.

Read more on Science Daily

Ryan Roberts is the new principal oboe, and he had a luminous solo in the “Alpine.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She structures her book as a travelogue, skipping from continent to continent; each chapter’s a banger, rendered in a luminous translation by Megan McDowell.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The luminous, pink color spreading across the Santa Monica Bay is from a temporary, nontoxic dye that researchers are using to study how ocean circulation might contribute to the bay’s poor water quality.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But this year the peak coincides with a bright Sturgeon Moon, which reached its full phase on 9 August and will still be quite luminous during the peak.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• brilliant 
• incandescent 
• lucid 
• lustrous 
• radiant 
• shining 
• translucent 
• vivid