Word
luminous
Phoneticslu·mi·nous, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫumənəs/
UK/lˈuːmɪnəs/
Definition
adj. shining in the dark or giving off a soft, bright light. You use this to describe things that glow or look very clear and glowing.
adj. emitting or reflecting light; glowing or shining. Often used to describe objects that are visible in the dark or have a radiant, clear quality.
Examples
“The watch has luminous hands so you can see the time at night.”
“The deep-sea fish used luminous organs to attract prey in the pitch-black water.”
“The artist was famous for her luminous landscapes, which seemed to capture the exact moment the sun broke through the morning mist.”
Examples
simple
“The watch has luminous hands so you can see the time at night.”
contextual
“The deep-sea fish used luminous organs to attract prey in the pitch-black water.”
complex
“The artist was famous for her luminous landscapes, which seemed to capture the exact moment the sun broke through the morning mist.”
Usage
Often used both literally for light-emitting objects and figuratively to describe skin, eyes, or prose.
Real-World Examples
“The difficulty is that large, luminous stars dominate the light, while smaller stars are far dimmer and much harder to identify.” “Nine pieces of music conjure nine luminous dreamworlds for an audience wearing VR headsets: Disney’s Fantasia on steroids.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French lumineus, from Latin lūminōsus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/luminous