# brightness

/ˈbɹaɪtnəs/ (US) · /bɹˈaɪtnəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brightness
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. light intensity

noun · CEFR B1

the quality of being bright or giving off a lot of light.

For teachers: the state or quality of being bright, referring to the intensity of light emitted or reflected by an object.

- You can adjust the brightness of your phone screen in the settings menu.
- The sudden brightness of the morning sun reflecting off the fresh snow was almost blinding without sunglasses.

### 2. intelligence

noun · CEFR B2

the quality of being clever or quick to understand things.

For teachers: a figurative extension referring to mental acuity, intelligence, or the ability to grasp concepts quickly.

- The teacher was impressed by the brightness of the new student.
- Her natural brightness was evident in the way she solved the complex logic puzzles long before her peers had even finished reading the instructions.

## Examples

- You can adjust the brightness of your phone screen in the settings.
- The sudden brightness of the morning sun made him squint as he stepped outside.
- Astronomers measure the absolute brightness of stars to determine their distance from Earth, accounting for the atmospheric interference that can dim their appearance to the naked eye.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.