luminosity

noun lu·mi·nos·i·ty \ ˌlü-mə-ˈnä-sə-tē \

Definition of luminosity

plural luminosities

1 a :the quality or state of being luminous

b :something luminous

2 a :the relative quantity of light

b :relative brightness of something

3 :the relative quantity of radiation emitted by a celestial source (such as a star)

See luminosity defined for kids

Examples of luminosity in a Sentence

the luminosity of the fireflies made for an enchanting nighttime show

Recent Examples of luminosity from the Web

My skin's luminosity pretty much flickers like the bare bulb in a horror movie basement—

— amber rambharose, Glamour, "Sorry, But Makeup Wipes Are the Actual Worst," 23 Aug. 2017
As the sun's luminosity continues to increase, there are other possibilities for life on planets like Mars and even Saturn's moon Titan.

— sophie weiner, Popular Mechanics, "What Will Happen in the Next 100 Trillion Years?," 12 Aug. 2017
By carrying out simulations of stellar magnetic fields, the researchers determined that a star's magnetic cycle is controlled by the relationship between luminosity and rate of rotation.

— ian o'neill space.com contributor, Fox News, "The Sun might be an 'ordinary' star after all," 13 July 2017
From the looks of it, one flash of an iPhone camera (or Lumee case) will blind bystanders thanks to the luminosity of this champagne tone sequin crop top and mini skirt.

— kaitlyn frey, PEOPLE.com, "Paris Hilton Hosts Her Own Fashion Show on Instagram, Models 8 Outfits in 1 Hour," 30 June 2017
With his club-kid energy and physical luminosity, Stanley is his own best advertisement.

— molly young, Bon Appetit, "13 Places to Eat Healthyish in NYC," 22 June 2017
But for all its luminosity, the Zukofskys’ life seemed short on warmth.

— margalit fox, New York Times, "Paul Zukofsky, Virtuoso Violinist and Literary Executor, Dies at 73," 20 June 2017
And while foundations that perfect skin and highlighters that catapult luminosity are an easy sell, bloated eye-shadow palettes are much more complicated.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "Urban Decay’s New Naked Palette Is Insanely Flattering," 12 June 2017
Kate McGee’s lighting draws on a whole palette of luminosity, from the lone ghost light standing sentry to the dazzling whiteness that emanates, for a few startling moments, from beneath the stage.

— laura collins-hughes, New York Times, "Review: Kafka With Puppets, Ghost Light and Shadows," 9 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'luminosity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of luminosity

1634

luminosity Synonyms

Synonyms

brightness, brilliancy, candor, dazzle, effulgence, illumination, lambency, lightness, luminance, brilliance, 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

Medical Dictionary

luminosity

noun lu·mi·nos·i·ty \ ˌlü-mə-ˈnäs-ət-ē \

medical Definition of luminosity

plural luminosities

1 :the quality or state of being luminous

2 a :the relative quantity of light

b :the comparative degree to which light of a given wavelength induces the sensation of brightness when perceived

Learn More about luminosity

See words that rhyme with luminosity Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for luminosity Spanish Central: Translation of luminosity Nglish: Translation of luminosity for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about luminosity

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luminosity

Definition of luminosity

Examples of luminosity in a Sentence

Recent Examples of luminosity from the Web

First Known Use of luminosity

luminosity Synonyms

Synonyms

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Related Words

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Medical Dictionary

luminosity

medical Definition of luminosity

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luminosity

Definition of luminosity

From the M-W Editors

Examples of luminosity in a Sentence

Recent Examples of luminosity from the Web

First Known Use of luminosity

luminosity Synonyms

Synonyms

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Near Antonyms

Medical Dictionary

luminosity

medical Definition of luminosity

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