Illuminous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Giving off light in a way that shines or glows ; having a bright or radiant look that stands out visually
2. Producing visible light or shining with brightness ; displaying an appearance that is vivid and luminous
3. Radiating light or glowing softly ; characterized by a clear, shining, or glowing aspect that attracts attention

Etymology: "Illuminous" is an adjective built from the Latin "illuminosus," meaning full of light, and it belongs to a family of words that traces back to the Latin "lumen," or light. The Latin prefix "in-" (here used in the sense of "upon" or "into") joined with "lumen" gave "illuminare," to light up, which English took over as "illuminate" and later as "illumination." The adjective "illuminous" follows the same pattern, adding the "-ous" ending that English borrowed from Latin to form adjectives meaning "full of" or "having the quality of." The word is considerably rarer than its cousins. English has long preferred "luminous," which comes directly from the same Latin "lumen" and was in use by the 1600s, so "illuminous" has mostly been overshadowed by it. Its uncommon status means it is seen more often in older or deliberately ornate writing than in everyday speech.

Synonyms: luminous, radiant, bright, shining, glowing

Antonyms: dark, dim, dull, shadowy, obscure