Definition of brilliant

Email this page to a friend

< brilliancy

brilliantine >

bril·liant    (brlynt) KEY 

ADJECTIVE:

1. Full of light; shining. See Synonyms at bright.
2. Relating to or being a hue that has a combination of high lightness and strong saturation.
3. Sharp and clear in tone.
4. Glorious; magnificent: the brilliant court life at Versailles.
5. Superb; wonderful: The soloist gave a brilliant performance.
6. Marked by unusual and impressive intellectual acuteness: a brilliant mind; a brilliant solution to the problem. See Synonyms at intelligent.

NOUN:

A precious gem, especially a diamond, finely cut in any of various forms with numerous facets.

---

ETYMOLOGY:
French brillant, present participle of briller, to shine, from Italian brillare, perhaps from brillo, beryl, from Latin bryllus ; see beryl

OTHER FORMS:
brilliant·ly(Adverb), brilliant·ness(Noun)