effulgence

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 10, 2010 is: effulgence • \ih-FULL-junss\ • noun : radiant splendor : brilliance Examples: The effulgence of the moon in the clear midnight sky provided enough light to help us safely make our way home. Did you know? Apparently, English speakers first took a shine to "effulgence" in the middle of the 17th century; that's when the word was first used in print in our language. "Effulgence" derives from the Latin verb "fulgēre," which means "to shine." "Fulgēre" is also the root of "fulgent," a synonym of "radiant" that English speakers have used since the 15th century. Another related word, "refulgence," is about 30 years older than "effulgence." "Refulgence" carries a meaning similar to "effulgence" but sometimes goes further by implying reflectivity, as in "the refulgence of the knight’s gleaming armor." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.