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."

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