luminous

adjective lu·mi·nous \ˈlü-mə-nəs\

: producing or seeming to produce light

: filled with light : brightly lit

: very bright in color

Full Definition of LUMINOUS

a : emitting or reflecting usually steady, suffused, or glowing light

b : of or relating to light or to luminous flux

: bathed in or exposed to steady light <luminous with sunlight>

: clear, enlightening

: shining, illustrious <a luminous film star> <a luminous performance>

— lu·mi·nous·ly adverb

— lu·mi·nous·ness noun

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Origin of LUMINOUS

Middle English, from Latin luminosus, from lumin-, lumen

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to LUMINOUS

Synonyms: beaming, bedazzling, brilliant, candescent, clear, dazzling, effulgent, fulgent, glowing, incandescent, lambent, lucent, lucid, bright, lustrous, radiant, refulgent, sheeny, shining, shiny, splendid

Antonyms: dim, dull, lackluster, unbright, unbrilliant

Synonym Discussion of LUMINOUS

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.