brightness

noun

bright·​ness ˈbrīt-nəs 

1

a

: the quality or state of being bright

also : an instance of such a quality or state

b

: luminance

2

: the attribute of light-source colors by which emitted light is ordered continuously from light to dark in correlation with its intensity compare hue sense 2c, lightness entry 1 sense 2a, saturation sense 4

Synonyms

• brilliance
• brilliancy
• candor
• dazzle
• effulgence
• illumination
• lambency
• lightness
• luminance
• luminosity
• luminousness
• luster
• lustre
• lustrousness
• radiance
• refulgence
• splendor

Examples of brightness in a Sentence

the brightness of the sunshine made me squint after an afternoon spent in a darkened movie theater

Recent Examples on the Web

Out of the box, in HDR Cinema mode, the Bravia 9 shows a peak brightness of 725 nits with a full-screen white field and a blazing 2,440 nits with an 18% white field. —PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024

Cranberry Sauce: Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey’s Sweetness The tart, fruity brightness of cranberry sauce pairs nicely with a sweeter whiskey that can balance out its zing. —Emily Price, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Great for any room in the house, its light blue finish will bring some brightness and personality to your space. —Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024

Penn State professor Joel Leja explains that machine learning is completely changing how astronomers process data, enabling rapid analysis of changes in star brightness and revealing orbiting planets. —Shelli Brunswick, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

brightness

noun

bright·​ness ˈbrīt-nəs 

: the one of the three psychological dimensions of color perception by which visual stimuli are ordered continuously from light to dark and which is correlated with light intensity compare hue, saturation sense 4a