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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of sunburst

First recorded in 1810–20; sun + burst

Example Sentences

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 • Mar. 11, 2024

The interior has been lovingly restored too, with modern lighting and sound upgrades mostly concealed and the ceiling’s sunburst ornamentation shining in its full glory.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2023

Mohawk warrior flags, which feature the face of an indigenous man superimposed on a yellow sunburst on a red background, wave in the wind.

From BBC • Jul. 27, 2023

In her starkly tender photographs Ireland transforms Williams’s stalwart pews into stand-ins for long-departed parishioners while the peeling facade’s sunburst window observes the ignominies of time.

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2022

It whirled around the cardboard square decorated with a sunburst of ten colorful triangles.

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein