different between brilliant vs colorful

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French brillant (late 17th century), present participle of the verb briller, from Italian brillare, possibly from Latin berillus, beryllus (“a beryl, gem, eyeglass”), from Ancient Greek ???????? (b?rullos, “beryl”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??lj?nt/

Adjective

brilliant (comparative more brilliant, superlative most 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. (Britain) Of surpassing excellence.

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

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

   She is a brilliant scientist.

Synonyms

• (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

Related terms

• brilliance
• brilliantine
• brilliantly
• brilliantness
• beryl (possibly)
• beryllium (possibly)

Translations

Noun

brilliant (countable and uncountable, plural brilliants)

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

Descendants

• (small type size): (German) Brillant

Translations

Further reading

• brilliant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• brilliant in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• brilliant at OneLook Dictionary Search

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

French brillant.

Noun

brilliant

1. brilliant.

Declension

References

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajins?ko-kryms?kotatars?kyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]?^[1], Simferopol: Dolya, ?ISBN

English

Alternative forms

• colourful (Commonwealth English)

Etymology

color +? -ful

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?l?f?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?l?f?l/

Adjective

colorful (comparative more colorful, superlative most colorful) (American spelling)

1. Possessing prominent and varied colors.
   • 1895, The Annual of the British School at Athens

     It was a colourful vase with red and white hoops on the lid, and red bands above and below the main frieze. These bands also carry a metope pattern in white of triple lines and blobs, which can just be distinguished on the photographs.

2. Interesting, multifaceted, energetic, distinctive.
3. (euphemistic) Profane, obscene, offensive (usually in the phrase colourful language).
   • 2002, news.bbc.co.uk

     Hussain celebrated reaching his ton with a gesture towards the media centre, pointing to the number three on the back of his shirt and offering some colourful language.

Synonyms

• (possessing prominent and varied colors): motley, multicolored, polychromatic; see also Thesaurus:multicolored

Translations