riant

American

[rahy-uhnt, ree-, ryahn] / ˈraɪ ənt, ˈri-, rjɑ̃ /

adjective

laughing; smiling; cheerful.

She exuded good humor, with her riant brown eyes, curly, flyaway hair, and madcap grin.

riant British

/ ˈraɪənt /

adjective

rare laughing; smiling; cheerful

"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

Other Word Forms

riantly

adverb

Etymology

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 ( def. ), -ant

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.

See Examples For:

riant

Her hair was the real classic gold, and her grey eyes were riant with health and content.

From Hoosier Mosaics by Maurice Thompson

Everything is riant, stirring, singing, in the world that I behold from my balcony.

From The Joy of Captain Ribot by Armando Palacio Vald?s

A scene as quiet and riant as this we—have at home!

From O. T. a Danish Romance by H. C. (Hans Christian) Andersen

The site, a broad, green and riant valley, with a high background, is softer and gayer than that of Funchal.

From To the Gold Coast for Gold A Personal Narrative in Two Volumes.—Volume I by Sir Richard Francis Burton

Here in the riant and overflowing opulence of July, time without love's companionship was time wasted.

From Rose of Dutcher's Coolly by Hamlin Garland

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023