brilliant means shining brightly.
brilliant is pronounced /ˈbɹɪl.jənt/.
Why “brilliant” is a great word
Shining with intense brightness or vividness, or being exceptionally intelligent or talented; from French brillant (late 17th century), present participle of briller (“to shine”), from Italian brillare, possibly from Latin beryllus (“a beryl, precious stone”), from Ancient Greek βήρυλλος (bḗrullos, “beryl”). Unlike “radiant,” which suggests a steady, effusive glow, or “clever,” which connotes nimble practicality, “brilliant” implies a sharp, almost aggressive incandescence. It is the staccato flash of sunlight on a breaking wave, the diamond-hard clarity of a perfect solution emerging from chaos, and the sudden arc of a welder’s torch; a light so intense it borders on a kind of violence, lingering as afterimage, proof that some things burn too precisely for ordinary sight.
Etymology
Borrowed from French brillant (late 17th century), present participle of the verb briller, from Italian brillare, possibly from Latin berillus, beryllus (“a beryl, gem, eyeglass”), from Ancient Greek βήρυλλος (bḗrullos, “beryl”). By surface analysis, French brill(er) + -i- + -ant.
adj
- Shining brightly.e.g.“the brilliant lights along the promenade”
- Both bright and saturated.e.g.“butterflies with brilliant blue wings”
- Having a sharp, clear tone.
- Of surpassing excellence; magnificent.e.g.“The actor's performance in the play was simply brilliant.”
- Highly intelligent.e.g.“She is a brilliant scientist.”
- Great, wonderful.e.g.“https://youtu.be/aoag03mSuXQ?t=5139s
He absolutely could have told us to get lost, and didn't. What a brilliant guy!”
noun
- A finely cut gemstone, especially a diamond, cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to maximize light return through the top (called "table") of the stone.e.g.“This snuffbox — on the hinge see brilliants shine.” — 1717, Alexander Pope, The Basset-Table:
- The size of type between excelsior and diamond, standardized as 4-point.
- Most hummingbird species of the genus Heliodoxa.
- A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.
verb
- To cut (a diamond) with many facets, to make it into a brilliant.e.g.“In short, the diamond owed more to being brillianted and polished, and well set, than to any intrinsic worth or solidity.” — 1851, The Western Literary Messenger, page 256:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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