Dictionary.com

riant

[ rahy-uhnt, ree-; French ryahn ]
/ ˈraɪ ənt, ˈri-; French ryɑ̃ /

adjective

laughing; smiling; cheerful: She exuded good humor, with her riant brown eyes, curly, flyaway hair, and madcap grin.

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Origin of riant

First recorded in 1560–70; from French, “smiling, laughing,” adjective use of present participle of rire “to laugh,” from Latin rīdēre; see rident, -ant

OTHER WORDS FROM riant

ri·ant·ly, adverb

Words nearby riant

ria, RIAA curve, rial, rial omani, rialto, riant, riata, Riau Archipelago, rib, R.I.B.A., ribald
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for riant

British Dictionary definitions for riant

riant
/ (ˈraɪənt) /

adjective

rare laughing; smiling; cheerful

Derived forms of riant

riantly, adverb

Word Origin for riant

C16: from French, from rire to laugh, from Latin rīdēre
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