• IPA: /ˈbɹɪljənt/

brilliant

1. Shining brightly.

   the brilliant lights along the promenade

2. (of a colour) Both bright and saturated.

   butterflies with brilliant blue wings

3. (of a voice or sound) Having a sharp, clear tone.
4. (British) Of surpassing excellence.

   The actor's performance in the play was simply brilliant.

5. (British) Magnificent or wonderful.
6. Highly intelligent.

   She is a brilliant scientist.

• (shining brightly) glittering, shining
• (of a colour: both light and saturated)
• (of a voice or sound: having a sharp, clear tone)
• (surpassing excellence) excellent, distinctive, striking, superb (obsolete except in UK usage)
• (magnificent or wonderful) exceptional, glorious, magnificent, marvellous/marvelous, splendid, wonderful (obsolete except in UK usage)
• (highly intelligent) brainy, ingenious
• See also Thesaurus:intelligent

• brilliance
• beryl (possibly)
• beryllium (possibly)

• French: brillant
• German: strahlend
• Italian: brillante, splendente, luccicante, sgargiante, lucente
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: блестя́щий
• Spanish: brillante

• French: brillant
• German: strahlend, brillant
• Italian: brillante
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: блестя́щий
• Spanish: brillante

• French: brillant
• German: brillant
• Italian: squillante
• Portuguese: claro
• Russian: хруста́льный

• French: brillant
• German: brillant
• Italian: brillante, fantastico, superlativo
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: блестя́щий
• Spanish: brillante

• French: brillant
• German: brillant
• Italian: brillante, eccezionale, meraviglioso
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: блестя́щий
• Spanish: brillante

• French: brillant
• German: genial, brillant
• Italian: brillante, geniale, talentuoso, di successo
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: блестя́щий
• Spanish: brillante

brilliant

1. A finely cut gemstone, especially a diamond, cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to maximize light return through the top (called "table") of the stone.
   • 1717, Alexander Pope, The Basset-Table:

     This snuffbox — on the hinge see brilliants shine.

   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC ↗, page 257 ↗:

     On the one, a plain massive band which matched the collar; on the other, a serpent; the tail reached nearly to the elbow, and the head rose a little from the wrist; the tongue of a ruby, the eyes of large brilliants.

   • 1891 [September, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure III.—A Case of Identity.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II (July to December), number [9], London: […], page 248 ↗, column 2:

     "And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which sparkled upon his finger.

2. (uncountable, printing, dated) The size of type between excelsior and diamond, standardized as 4-point.
3. Most hummingbird species of the genus Heliodoxa.
4. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.

• German: Brillant
• Italian: brillante, gemma, pietra preziosa
• Portuguese: brilhante
• Russian: бриллиа́нт

• French: perle
• German: Diamant
• Italian: perla
• Spanish: perla

• French: brillant