lightness

1 of 2

noun (1)

light·​ness ˈlīt-nəs 

1

: the quality or state of being illuminated

the lightness [=brightness] of the room/sky

2

a

: the attribute of object colors by which the object appears to reflect or transmit more or less of the incident light compare brightness sense 2, hue sense 2c, saturation sense 4

b

: the quality or state of having or being a light (see light entry 2 sense 2a) skin color

"As long as there's White racism, there will be racism within the Black community and favoritism for lightness."

—Midge Wilson

Elmore had a very fair complexion. And while he had never used the lightness of his skin to pass as white, the clerk who took his voter registration paperwork never asked the question. And just like that, George Elmore registered to vote.

—Antjuan Seawright

lightness

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: the quality or state of being light especially in weight

2

: lack of seriousness and stability of character often accompanied by casual heedlessness

3

a

: the quality or state of being nimble

b

: an ease and gaiety of style or manner

4

: a lack of weightiness or force : delicacy

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• brightness
• brilliance
• brilliancy
• candor
• dazzle
• effulgence
• illumination
• lambency
• luminance
• luminosity
• luminousness
• luster
• lustre
• lustrousness
• radiance
• refulgence
• splendor

Noun (2)

• slightness
• weightlessness

Examples of lightness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

All this could easily have turned saccharine without Pasolini’s lightness of touch and without such superb casting. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024

The juxtaposition between the darkness of Sugar’s genre and the lightness of its protagonist is what first attracted star Colin Farrell to the streaming series, which premieres April 5. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024

The blend of idealism and hedonism gestures toward one last aspect of the exhibition — its lightness of spirit — which is captured as well in a photograph of the Bowl chair from the cover of Interiors magazine in 1953, reprinted on the show’s object label. —Michael Kimmelman Clement Pascal, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024

For whatever reason, the heaviness of this moment also creates the conditions for the lightness of this realization. —Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024

But make no mistake: His lightness requires heavy effort. —Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024

The slight variations in scale yield an uncanny visual sense of tumbling lightness for these massive, immovable objects. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024

Let there be light For everyone in the family, the emerging lightness in the morning is a good thing, experts say. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024

The guitars and bass bounce along to the beat as Clarkson digs deep in her lungs for the guttural notes of the pre-chorus and the lightness of the chorus. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1