Vibrance

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of exhibiting strong, bright, or striking colors that catch the eye
2. A characteristic of having lively, intense, or rich hues and appearance
3. The state of brightness and vividness that makes colors or scenes appear energetic and lively

Etymology: "Vibrance" is a near-twin of "vibrancy," and its roots reach back to a Latin verb meaning to shake or quiver. The Latin "vibrare" gave English "vibrate" and the adjective "vibrant," and the present participle "vibrans" (shaking, quivering) is the starting point here. "Vibrant" describes something that pulses with energy, and "-cy" is a suffix that turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state, as in "fluency" or "constancy." Put together, "vibrancy" names the state of being vibrant. The sense of shaking is still audible in the modern meaning. Something vibrant seems to hum with life, and a bright colour in particular looks as though it is trembling against its surroundings. The colour sense belongs to the adjective "vibrant" and was extended from the older idea of quivering motion and resonant energy.

Synonyms: brightness, vividness, liveliness, intensity, radiance

Antonyms: dullness, lifelessness, dimness, fadedness