brightness

bright·ness

noun

Definition of BRIGHTNESS

1

a : the quality or state of being bright; also : an instance of such a quality or state

b : luminance

2

: the attribute of light-source colors by which emitted light is ordered continuously from light to dark in correlation with its intensity — compare hue 2c, ¹lightness 2, saturation 4

Examples of BRIGHTNESS

1. <the brightness of the sunshine made me squint after an afternoon spent in a darkened movie theater>

First Known Use of BRIGHTNESS

before 12th century

Related to BRIGHTNESS

Synonyms

brilliance, brilliancy, candor, dazzle, effulgence, illumination, lambency, lightness, luminance, luminosity, luminousness, luster (or lustre), lustrousness, radiance, refulgence, splendor

Antonyms

blackness, dark, darkness, dullness (also dulness), duskiness

Related Words

blaze, flare, flash, flicker, light; fluorescence, incandescence, luminescence; burnish, gloss, polish, sheen, shine, shininess; fire, flame, glare, glow; flash, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glitter, scintillation, shimmer, sparkle, twinkle

Near Antonyms

dimness, gloominess, somberness; cloudiness, haziness, murkiness, obscureness, obscurity; colorlessness, grayness, lackluster, paleness, shadiness, shadowiness

bright·ness

noun \ˈbrīt-nəs\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of BRIGHTNESS

: the one of the three psychological dimensions of color perception by which visual stimuli are ordered continuously from light to dark and which is correlated with light intensity—compare hue, saturation 4a