English Reference
Noun

radiance

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US /ˈɹeɪˌdiəns/ UK /ɹˈeɪdiəns/ ra·di·ance UK spelling radiances Physics

n.a glowing light or a look of great health and happiness. It describes something that shines brightly or someone who looks very beautiful and glowing.

n.the quality of emitting or reflecting light; a glowing or vivid brightness. Often used figuratively to describe a person's appearance of health, joy, or beauty.


SIMPLE

The bride had a natural radiance on her wedding day.

CONTEXTUAL

The morning sun hit the snow with such radiance that we had to wear sunglasses to look outside.

Usage

Typically uncountable when referring to light or beauty; rarely used in the plural.


From radiant + -ance.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated