# Sunshine

/ˈsənˌʃaɪn/ (US) · /sˈʌnʃaɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sunshine
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. sunlight

noun · CEFR A1

the direct light and heat that comes from the sun.

For teachers: the direct rays of the sun or the warmth and light they produce. Uncountable in this sense.

- We sat on the balcony to enjoy the morning sunshine.
- The plants thrived in the direct sunshine, though the gardener warned that the midday heat might scorch their delicate leaves.

### 2. happiness

noun · CEFR B1

a feeling of happiness or something that makes you feel joyful.

For teachers: a figurative quality of cheerfulness, geniality, or a specific source of joy.

- The new baby brought a lot of sunshine into their lives.
- Her natural sunshine was infectious, lifting the spirits of the entire office even during the most stressful weeks of the project.

### 3. sarcastic address

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a way to talk to someone who is being annoying or acting superior.

For teachers: an ironic or patronising form of address directed toward someone perceived as troublesome or inferior.

- Listen here, sunshine, you can't park your car in front of my driveway.
- The shopkeeper looked at the rowdy teenager and said, 'I think it's time for you to move along, sunshine.'

Teaching tip: In the UK and Ireland, this is often aggressive or dismissive rather than friendly; use with caution.

### 5. transparency

adjective · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

describing laws that make government meetings open to the public.

For teachers: pertaining to laws or regulations that ensure public access to government records or meetings.

- The state's sunshine laws allow citizens to attend city council meetings.
- Advocacy groups cited the sunshine act to demand that the committee release the minutes of their private deliberations regarding the new tax code.

## Examples

- The cat is sleeping in the sunshine.
- After a week of heavy rain, the children were happy to finally play outside in the sunshine.
- The morning sunshine filtered through the dusty curtains, illuminating the quiet room and revealing the slow dance of particles in the air.

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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.