brilliant

/ˈbril-yənt/

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

adjective

  1. very bright : glittering

  2. striking, distinctive

  3. distinguished by unusual mental keenness or alertness

a brilliant light

bright brilliant radiant luminous lustrous mean shining or glowing with light. bright implies emitting or reflecting a high degree of light. brilliant implies intense often sparkling brightness. radiant stresses the emission or seeming emission of rays of light. luminous implies emission of steady, suffused, glowing light by reflection or in surrounding darkness. lustrous stresses an even, rich light from a surface that reflects brightly without glittering.

noun

  1. a gem (such as a diamond) cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to have special brightness or brilliance