Word of the Day:

July 10, 2026

effulgence

noun ih-FULL-junss

What it Means

Effulgence means “radiant splendor” or “brilliance.”

// Guests oohed and aahed at the sudden effulgence of the pagoda, as the last of its hundreds of candles were finally lit.

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Effulgence in Context

“No one knows who suggested that the building be lit at night. But the obvious inspiration was Times Square, an area famous for its nighttime effulgence.” — Robert Sharoff, FastCompany.com, 7 July 2025

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Did You Know?

Need a shiny word to bust out at your next disco party, planetarium visit, or fireworks gathering? How about effulgence? It’s not a shiny “new” word, having made its English language debut in the 17th century, but it’s unusual and has a lovely Latin pedigree: the verb fulgēre, meaning “to shine.” Effulgence isn’t used for bog-standard brightness, however; it’s reserved for shininess that dazzles, inspires, leaves you gobsmacked—in other words, “radiant splendor.”

Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete a word that can also refer to brightness or brilliance but that is more often used to mean “forthrightness”: c _ n _ o _.

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