radiant

1 of 2

adjective

ra·​di·​ant ˈrā-dē-ənt 

1

a

: radiating rays or reflecting beams of light

b

: vividly bright and shining : glowing

2

: marked by or expressive of love, confidence, or happiness

a radiant smile

3

a

: emitted or transmitted by radiation

b

: emitting or relating to radiant heat

radiantly adverb

radiant

2 of 2

noun

: something that radiates: such as

a

: a point in the heavens at which the visible paths of meteors appear to meet when traced backward

b

: the part of a gas or electric heater that becomes incandescent

Synonyms

Adjective

• aglow
• beaming
• bright
• glowing
• sunny

Choose the Right Synonym for radiant

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.

Examples of radiant in a Sentence

Adjective

She had a radiant inner glow.

She looked radiant at her wedding.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This buildable foundation creates a naturally radiant look, while enhancing your skin’s glow with each use. —Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024

As Rita, Ronan gives a quietly radiant performance. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024

Noun

The best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower is from midnight into the predawn hours after the radiant has reached its highest point in the night sky, writes EarthSky. —John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 9 Aug. 2024

The best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower, writes EarthSky, is from midnight into the predawn hours after the radiant has reached its highest point in the night sky. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing radiant

• radiant energy
• radiant flux
• radiant heat

Kids Definition

radiant

adjective

ra·​di·​ant

ˈrād-ē-ənt

1

a

: giving out or reflecting light

a radiant jewel

b

: vividly bright and gleaming

2

: glowing with love, confidence, or happiness

a radiant smile

3

: transmitted by radiation

radiant heat

radiantly adverb

Medical Definition

radiant

adjective

ra·​di·​ant ˈrād-ē-ənt 

1

: emitted or transmitted by radiation

2

: emitting or relating to radiant heat