brilliant - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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.

brilliant (comparative more brilliant, superlative most brilliant)

  1. Shining brightly.
    the brilliant lights along the promenade
  2. (of a colour) Both bright and saturated.
    butterflies with brilliant blue wings
  3. (of a voice or sound) Having a sharp, clear tone.
  4. Of surpassing excellence; magnificent.
    The actor's performance in the play was simply brilliant.
    • 1988, Salman Rushdie, chapter V, in The Satanic Verses, page 268:
      "Thing is," Anahita resumed, and then, faltering, "Mean to say, well, we just think it's great." — "You, she means," Mishal corrected. "We think you're, you know." — "Brilliant," Anahita said and dazzled the bewildered Chamcha with a smile. "Magic. You know. Extreme."
  5. Highly intelligent.
    She is a brilliant scientist.
  6. (UK, of a person) Great, wonderful.
    • [1]
      He absolutely could have told us to get lost, and didn't. What a brilliant guy!

shining brightly

of a colour: both light and saturated

of surpassing excellence

magnificent or wonderful (primarily UK usage)

highly intelligent

Translations to be checked

brilliant (countable and uncountable, plural brilliants)

  1. 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.
  2. (uncountable, printing, dated) The size of type between excelsior and diamond, standardized as 4-point.
  3. Most hummingbird species of the genus Heliodoxa.
  4. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.

cut gemstone

hummingbird of the genus Heliodoxa

brilliant (third-person singular simple present brilliants, present participle brillianting, simple past and past participle brillianted)

  1. (transitive) To cut (a diamond) with many facets, to make it into a brilliant.
    • 1851, The Western Literary Messenger, page 256:
      In short, the diamond owed more to being brillianted and polished, and well set, than to any intrinsic worth or solidity.

Borrowed from French brillant.

brilliant

  1. brilliant.