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riant

[ rahy-uhnt, ree-; French ryahn ]
/ ˈraɪ ənt, ˈri-; French ryɑ̃ /
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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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use riant in a sentence

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
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