Effulgence: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The term comes from the Latin word 'effulgentia', where 'ef-' means 'out of' and 'fulgere' means 'to shine'.
• It entered the English language in the 17th century, commonly used in poetry and literature.
• The root 'fulgere' relates to several other English words linked to brightness, such as 'fulguration' and 'fulgent'.

Literature

• The word is often used in poetry to describe brilliant sunlight or a person's vibrant personality.
• In literature, authors might use 'effulgence' to evoke feelings of warmth and joy associated with brightness.
• Notable poets, such as John Keats and William Blake, employed the term to enhance imagery in their works.

Science

• In physics, 'effulgence' may refer to the intensity of light emitted from a source like a star.
• It can also describe the measurement of luminous flux, which reflects how much light is visible to the human eye.
• Scientists study the effulgence of celestial bodies to understand their composition and distance from Earth.

Art

• Artists often depict effulgent scenes in paintings, using bright colors to convey radiance and inspiration.
• The Impressionist movement celebrated effulgence through the use of light and color, especially in paintings of sunrise and sunset.
• The concept of light and effulgence has been a subject in various art forms, symbolizing enlightenment and divinity.

Philosophy

• Philosophers like Plato used imagery of light and effulgence to illustrate knowledge and truth, contrasting it with shadows of ignorance.
• The idea of effulgence relates to concepts of enlightenment in both Eastern and Western philosophies.
• In some spiritual texts, effulgence is associated with divine presence and illumination of the mind.

This word's position of #31,340 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.

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• 31337 iconoclasm
• 31338 reorganise
• 31339 cantankerous
• 31340 effulgence
• 31341 brutalized
• 31342 agave
• 31343 propitiated
• ...