DIMENSIONS: DENOTATION / Quality
R E F E R E N C E S
1 Brilliant adj. 1. shining brightly; sparkling: glittering; lustrous. 2. distinguished; illustrious. 3. having or showing great intelligence or talent. -n. 4. Jewelry. a. gem, esp. a diamond, having any of several varieties of the brilliant cut. 5. Print. a size of type about 3 1/2-point. [< F brillant shinnig (prp) of briller < lt brillare to gliter) = brill- (? akin to Beryl) + -ant -ANT]
-Syn. 1. See bright.
Brilliance n. 1. great brightness; splendor; luster. 2. excellence or distinction, esp. in talent or mental ability. -Syn. 1. radiance. 2. preeminence, renown; genius. -Ant. 1. 2. dullness.
Brilliant cut. Jewelry. a cut intended to enhance the brilliance of a gem with the least sacrifice of weight, characterized by a form resembling two pyramids set base to base, truncated so as to give a broad table and a very small culet, and having from 18 to 104 facets, 58 being typical.
[Urdang, Laurence, ed. Random House Dictionary of The English Language. New York: Random House, 1968.]
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