Dictionary

brightness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈbɹaɪtnəs/

Etymology

From Middle English bryghtnes, brightnesse, from Old English beorhtnes (“brightness, splendor”), from Proto-West Germanic *berhtnassī, equivalent to bright + -ness. Cognate with Old High German berahtnessī, berahtnessi (“brightness”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The quality of being bright.
   • Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
2. (uncountable, usually) The perceived luminance of an object.
3. (figuratively, idiomatic, uncountable, usually) Intelligence, cleverness.

Forms

Deriveds

apparent brightness · low-surface-brightness galaxy · intrinsic brightness

Translations (85)

tl liwanag (the quality of being bright) · qu phaqsa (the quality of being bright) · el λάμψη (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · de Funkeln (the quality of being bright) · de Glanz (the quality of being bright) · de Aufgewecktheit (intelligence, cleverness) · hy պայծառություն (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · es brillo (the quality of being bright) · egy w-b-x:t-N8 (the quality of being bright) · grc γάνος (the quality of being bright) · cy lleu (the quality of being bright) · de Strahlen (the quality of being bright) · fi älykkyys (intelligence, cleverness) · he בהירות (the quality of being bright) · fi välke (the quality of being bright) · hu fényesség (the quality of being bright) · fr luminosité (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · el εξυπνάδα (intelligence, cleverness) · cmn 明亮 (the quality of being bright) · nl helderheid (the quality of being bright) · ga lonracht (the quality of being bright) · egy H-D-D-w-t-N8-Z3 (the quality of being bright) · hy լուսեղություն (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · he תבונה (intelligence, cleverness) · ru смышлёность (intelligence, cleverness) · ga gile (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · uk яскра́вість (the quality of being bright) · pl jasność (the quality of being bright) · ur چمک (the quality of being bright) · ga gléine (the quality of being bright) · ga gléine (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · pt clareza (the quality of being bright) · cs jas (the quality of being bright) · fi hohto (the quality of being bright) · ga spéiriúlacht (the quality of being bright) · ja 明るさ (the quality of being bright) · sq ndriçim (the quality of being bright) · cs třpyt (the quality of being bright) · eo heldenso (the quality of being bright) · th ความสว่าง (the quality of being bright) · ar سُطُوع (the quality of being bright) · fa درخشندگی (the quality of being bright) · ro strălucire (the quality of being bright) · ru вспы́шка (the quality of being bright) · cs jasnost (the quality of being bright) · ab ашеишеира (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · sv ljusstyrka (the quality of being bright) · nl glans (the quality of being bright) · fr brillance (the quality of being bright) · he אינטלגנציה (intelligence, cleverness) · el φωτεινότητα (the quality of being bright) · tsg sinag (the quality of being bright) · lv spilgtums (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · bg блясък (the quality of being bright) · tr parlaklık (the quality of being bright) · eo helodenso (the quality of being bright) · bg я́ркост (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · no klarhet (the quality of being bright) · de Helligkeit (the quality of being bright) · hi चमक (the quality of being bright) · de Helligkeit (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · ro splendoare (the quality of being bright) · tl liwanag (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · ru блеск (the quality of being bright) · fi loisto (the quality of being bright) · pt brilho (the quality of being bright) · no lyshet (the quality of being bright) · lv spožums (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · ru ум (intelligence, cleverness) · hy պայծառություն (the quality of being bright) · gl brillantez (the quality of being bright) · te వెలుగు (the quality of being bright) · ru я́ркость (the quality of being bright) · cy lleu (perception elicited by the luminance of an object) · fi kirkkaus (the quality of being bright) · ga gile (the quality of being bright) · pt claridade (the quality of being bright) · la candor (the quality of being bright) · no glans (the quality of being bright) · hy լուսավոր (intelligence, cleverness) · grc λαμπρότης (the quality of being bright) · fr intelligence (intelligence, cleverness) · bn রৌশনী (the quality of being bright) · no lysstyrke (the quality of being bright) · ru я́ркость (perception elicited by the luminance of an object)