brilliant

/ˈbrɪljənt/

/ˈbrɪliənt/

Brilliant describes something super bright, like intense lights at a football stadium, a super sparkly diamond, or the student who graduates from Harvard at age 13.

Brilliant comes from the Italian word brillare, to "sparkle" like those bright lights, diamonds, and brainiac kid. British people love to say things are "Brilliant!" in the same way Americans say "Awesome!" Brilliant describes anything sparkly, fabulous, or full of light. A bright color is brilliant, too, like the brilliant orange of a setting sun.

Definitions of brilliant

1. adjective

   full of light; shining intensely
   “a brilliant star”

   “brilliant chandeliers”

   synonyms:

   bright

   emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
2. adjective

   having striking color
   “brilliant tapestries”

   synonyms: bright, vivid

   colorful, colourful

   having striking color
3. adjective

   clear and sharp and ringing
   “the brilliant sound of the trumpets”

   synonyms: bright

   reverberant

   having a tendency to reverberate or be repeatedly reflected
4. adjective

   having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence
   “a brilliant mind”

   “a brilliant solution to the problem”

   synonyms: brainy, genius, smart as a whip

   intelligent

   having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
5. adjective

   of surpassing excellence
   “a brilliant performance”

   synonyms: superb

   superior

   of high or superior quality or performance
6. adjective

   characterized by grandeur
   “the brilliant court life at Versailles”

   synonyms: glorious, magnificent, splendid

   impressive

   making a strong or vivid impression