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

1. Transmitting light, heat, or other radiation. Stars, for example, are radiant bodies.

2. Consisting of or transmitted as radiation.

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.

Other Word Forms

• radiantly adverb
• antiradiant adjective
• nonradiant adjective
• nonradiantly adverb
• superradiant adjective
• unradiant 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

The music that comes of her dedication is as radiant, born of her own intentions.

From Los Angeles Times

In a recent essay published by Salon, Danilyn Rutherford shared a personal story about her daughter Millie, “a radiant young woman with thick hair, a brilliant smile and multiple disabilities.”

From Salon

My daughter Millie is a radiant young woman with thick hair, a brilliant smile and multiple disabilities.

From Salon

There will be a chance of seeing the showers whenever the radiant point in the constellation Boötes is above the horizon.

From BBC

Hanging, inevitably, over the weekend’s celebration was the current occupant of the Oval Office, a boiling black cloud compared to the radiant and sunshiny Reagan.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• beaming 
• brilliant 
• gleaming 
• glittering www.thesaurus.com
• glowing 
• incandescent 
• lustrous 
• resplendent 
• shining 
• sunny