radiant
REY-dee-unt
/ˈreɪ.di.ənt/
Sending out light; shining or glowing brightly; clearly expressing great joy, love, or health.
Radiant can describe literal light (like the sun) or metaphorical light (like a happy person's face). It implies a warmth and energy that projects outward.
The story behind the word. Radiant comes from the Latin 'radiantem', the present participle of 'radiare', which means 'to beam or shine'. This comes from 'radius', meaning a ray of light or the spoke of a wheel. It describes light that travels outward in straight lines from a central point.
Word relationships
- beaming: Beaming is usually restricted to a person's facial expression of joy, while radiant can apply to both people and physical light sources.
- luminous: Luminous means shedding light or glowing, but radiant emphasizes the outward projection of rays and warmth.
- dim: Dim means emitting only a small amount of light; not bright or clear.
- gloomy: Gloomy means dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing.
Commonly confused with
- iridescent: Iridescent means showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles, while radiant means glowing brightly with warm light.
Word family
- radiance (noun): Great beauty, brightness, or warmth.
- radiantly (adverb): In a glowing or brightly shining manner.
Collocations
- radiant smile
- radiant energy
- radiant beauty
- radiant heat
Example sentences
- "She gave a radiant smile that instantly warmed the room and put everyone at ease." Describing a person's expression
- "The morning sun cast a radiant glow over the valley, melting the frost on the grass." Describing a natural scene
Memory hook
Think of the 'radiator' in your house—it radiates heat outward, just as a 'radiant' person radiates warmth and light. Radiant beams warm light.
When not to use
Do not use 'radiant' for cold, harsh, or artificial light unless it has a warm, glowing quality. A fluorescent bulb is bright, but a sunset is radiant.
Fun facts
- In physics, 'radiant energy' is the energy of electromagnetic waves, which includes visible light, x-rays, and radio waves.
Related words
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