splendor

1 of 2

noun

splen·​dor ˈsplen-dər 

1

a

: great brightness or luster : brilliancy

b

: magnificence, pomp

2

: something splendid

the splendors of the past

splendorous adjective

or less commonly splendrous

ˈsplen-d(ə-)rəs 

splendorous

2 of 2

adjective

splen·​dor·​ous

variants also British splendourrous

-d(ə)rəs

or less commonly splendrous

-drəs 

: full of splendor : very bright : splendid

Synonyms of splendor

Noun

• majesty
• brilliance
• glory
• elegance
• magnificence
• grandeur
• nobility

Examples of splendor in a Sentence

Noun

The palace had lost much of its original splendor.

the splendor of the ancient monument awed us into silence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its shoreline folds together cliffs, coves, boat docks and protected green space with a kind of natural splendor rarely found inside a major urban market. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

The data center in Cloudthief (MCD, $28), Nathaniel Rich’s rambunctious, thoroughly entertaining heist novel, is in Pryor, Oklahoma, a far cry from the splendor of the fjords. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

For pet lovers, the only thing that could make the expansive network of more than 400 stunning parks more worthwhile is if each and every one allowed dogs to partake in the outdoor splendor. — Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Over the years, the visuals dramatically improve, from snuff film aesthetics to confidently silly splendor. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English splendure, from Anglo-French splendur, from Latin splendor, from splendēre

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for splendor

• bender
• blender
• fender
• gender
• lender
• mender
• prendre
• render
• sender
• slender
• tender
• vender

Kids Definition

splendor

noun

splen·​dor ˈsplen-dər 

1

: great brightness : brilliance

the splendor of the sun

2

: pomp sense 1, glory

the splendor of ancient Rome

3

: something splendid

the splendors of the past

splendorous adjective

also splendrous

ˈsplen-d(ə-)rəs