radiant

[ rey-dee-uhnt ]

adjective

1. emitting rays of light; shining; bright:

   the radiant sun;

   radiant colors.

   Synonyms: resplendent, refulgent, beaming

   Antonyms: dim

2. bright with joy, hope, etc.:

   radiant smiles;

   a radiant future.

3. Physics. emitted or propagated by radiation.
4. Heraldry.
   1. noting a partition line having a series of flamelike indentations formed by ogees joined in zigzags; rayonny.
   2. (of a charge, as an ordinary) having an edge or edges so formed.

noun

1. a point or object from which rays proceed.
2. Astronomy. the point in the heavens from which a shower of meteors appears to radiate.
3. a refractory absorbing and radiating heat from the flames of a gas fireplace or the like.

radiant

/ ˈreɪdɪənt /

adjective

1. sending out rays of light; bright; shining
2. characterized by health, intense joy, happiness, etc

   a radiant countenance

3. emitted or propagated by or as radiation; radiated

   radiant heat

4. sending out heat by radiation

   a radiant heater

5. physics (of a physical quantity in photometry) evaluated by absolute energy measurements Compare luminous

   radiant flux

   radiant efficiency

noun

1. a point or object that emits radiation, esp the part of a heater that gives out heat
2. astronomy the point in space from which a meteor shower appears to emanate

radiant

/ rā′dē-ənt /

Adjective

1. Transmitting light, heat, or other radiation. Stars, for example, are radiant bodies.
2. Consisting of or transmitted as radiation.

Noun

1. The apparent celestial origin of a meteor shower. For example, a point in the constellation Gemini is the radiant of the Geminid meteor shower.

Derived Forms

• ˈradiantly, adverb

Other Words From

• radi·ant·ly adverb
• anti·radi·ant adjective
• non·radi·ant adjective
• non·radi·ant·ly adverb
• super·radi·ant adjective
• un·radi·ant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiant¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin radiant-, stem of radiāns “shining,” present participle of radiāre “to radiate light, shine,” verb derivative of radius “beam, ray”; radius

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiant¹

C15: from Latin radiāre to shine, from radius ray of light, radius

Synonym Study

See bright.

Example Sentences

Connor and Zegler are radiant as the young lovers, though the chemistry between them is more of an idea than a palpable reality.

From Los Angeles Times

Two years ago, one of the nation’s biggest political upsets took place here amid the radiant greenery of the Pacific Northwest.

From Los Angeles Times

The radiant for the Orionids is in the constellation of Orion which rises in the east after midnight, just to the north of its red-tinged star Betelgeuse.

From BBC

Midler paid tribute on Instagram, describing Creel as a “radiant actor… he was fantastic. I can’t believe he’s gone. What a loss.”

From BBC

Mentioning this to the co-star of “The Old Man” made him break into a radiant smile.

From Salon

Related Words

• beaming
• brilliant
• gleaming
• glittering
• glowing
• incandescent
• lustrous
• resplendent
• shining
• sunny