brilliant

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”).

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪljənt/

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.

   The actor's performance in the play was simply brilliant.

5. Magnificent or wonderful.
6. Highly intelligent.

   She is a brilliant scientist.

• (shining brightly): glittering, shining
• (of a colour: both light and saturated):
• (of a voice or sound: having a sharp, clear tone):
• (surpassing excellence): excellent, distinctive, striking, superb (obsolete except in UK usage)
• (magnificent or wonderful): exceptional, glorious, magnificent, marvellous/marvelous, splendid, wonderful (obsolete except in UK usage)
• (highly intelligent): brainy, ingenious
• See also Thesaurus:intelligent

• brilliance
• brilliantine
• brilliantly
• brilliantness

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.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Alexander Pope

     This snuffbox — on the hinge see brilliants shine.

   • 1891, Arthur Conan Doyle, A Case of Identity

     “And the ring?” I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which sparkled upon his finger.

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.

• (small type size): (German) Brillant

• brilliant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• brilliant in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• brilliant at OneLook Dictionary Search

French brillant.

brilliant

1. brilliant.

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎, Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN