splendor
Americannoun
-
brilliant or gorgeous appearance, coloring, etc.; magnificence.
the splendor of the palace.
- Antonyms:
- squalor
-
an instance or display of imposing pomp or grandeur.
the splendor of the coronation.
-
grandeur; glory; brilliant distinction.
the splendor of ancient Greek architecture.
-
great brightness; brilliant light or luster.
- Synonyms:
- refulgence, dazzle
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
- outsplendor verb (used with object)
- splendorous adjective
- splendrous adjective
- unsplendorous adjective
- unsplendorously adverb
Etymology
Origin of splendor
1400–50; < Latin splendor, equivalent to splend ( ēre ) to shine + -or -or 1; replacing late Middle English splendure < Anglo-French < Latin, as above
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.
It brought the bootstrapping fantasy of this rising family, a few generations removed from the toiling class, into Britain’s living rooms with the right blend of serious theatricality and soapy splendor.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
But in Pedretti’s new “Forbidden Fruits,” a horror-comedy directed by Meredith Alloway making her feature debut and produced by “Jennifer’s Body” screenwriter Diablo Cody, the actor shines in all-new soapy splendor.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
“Majestically set on 12 sweeping acres of lush, open grounds, this extraordinary estate captures the full splendor of its idyllic surroundings.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026
Watts’ take on Jackie O doesn’t hit such heights, but the actor does, in some scenes, achieve a gracious splendor that does justice to her subject’s memory.
From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026
As soon as the splendor felt her touch, a new host, it came to her, tearing through as suddenly and powerfully as a storm surge.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
