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sunburst

American  
[suhn-burst] / ˈsʌnˌbɜrst /

noun

  1. a burst of sunlight; a sudden shining of the sun through rifted clouds.

  2. a firework, piece of jewelry, ornament, or the like, resembling the sun with rays issuing in all directions.


adjective

  1. Sewing. sewn or made to resemble a sunburst; having the rays or lines of design flared from a central point.

    sunburst pleats; sunburst tucks.

sunburst British  
/ ˈsʌnˌbɜːst /

noun

  1. a burst of sunshine, as through a break in the clouds

  2. a pattern or design resembling that of the sun

  3. a jewelled brooch with this pattern

"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

Etymology

Origin of sunburst

First recorded in 1810–20; sun + burst

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.

Some of the older kids at De Anza High School in Richmond, Calif., were holding a Fender Stratocaster, glowing with an orange sunburst design.

From Los Angeles Times

With effects pedals scattered at his feet, he opened a case with an orange sunburst lap-slide guitar inside.

From Los Angeles Times

At the upper left, the gray-bearded figure of a wise and eternal God directs the action, hovering within a dazzling golden sunburst.

From Los Angeles Times

These sea anemones -- belonging to the genus Anthopleura and commonly referred to as sunburst sea anemones -- exhibit a genetic color variation that ranges from vibrant neon-green to more subdued olive or gray-green hues.

From Science Daily

The stage lights at one point seemed to illuminate nothing but the sunburst pattern on his bass and Jones wondered if it was the same instrument McCartney had played in the early ’60s.

From Seattle Times