brilliant

¹bril·liant

adj \ˈbril-yənt\

Definition of BRILLIANT

1

: very bright : glittering <a brilliant light>

2

a : striking, distinctive <a brilliant example> b : distinguished by unusual mental keenness or alertness

— bril·liant·ly adverb

Examples of BRILLIANT

1. a brilliant star in the sky
2. a store decorated in brilliant colors
3. He pitched a brilliant game.
4. She gave a brilliant performance.
5. She has a brilliant mind.

Origin of BRILLIANT

French brillant, present participle of briller to shine, from Italian brillare

First Known Use: 1696

Related to BRILLIANT

Synonyms: beaming, bedazzling, bright, candescent, clear, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent, glowing, incandescent, lambent, lucent, lucid, luminous, lustrous, radiant, refulgent, sheeny, shining, shiny, splendid

Antonyms: dim, dull, lackluster, unbright, unbrilliant

Related Words: ablaze, ardent, blazing, burning, combusting, fiery, flaming, red-hot; agleam, aglitter, blinding, coruscant, flaring, flashing, flickering, gemmy, glancing, glaring, gleaming, glimmering, glinting, glistening, glistering, glittering, scintillant, scintillating, shimmering, shimmery, sparkling, sunny, twinkling, winking; burnished, polished, shined; superbright, ultrabright

Near Antonyms: blackened, dark, darkened, darkish, darkling, darksome, dimmed, dusky, gloomy, lightless, murky, obscure, obscured, pitch-black, pitch-dark, somber (or sombre), sunless, tenebrous, unlit; cloudy, shadowlike, shadowy, shady; gray (also grey), leaden, pale, palish

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See Synonym Discussion at bright