Meaning & use
effulgence
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Meanings
noununcountableliterary
A bright, glowing light that seems to shine from something.
Grammar: Uncountable and poetic: the effulgence of the sun.
Patterns
- the effulgence of something
The effulgence of the morning sun filled the valley.
Candles gave the chapel a soft effulgence.
The painter tried to capture the effulgence of the sea at noon.
noununcountableliteraryfigurative
A striking brilliance or splendor of a person, art or quality.
Grammar: Figurative and uncountable: the effulgence of youth.
Patterns
- the effulgence of something
Critics praised the effulgence of her singing.
The poem celebrates the effulgence of youth.
The opera ended in an effulgence of color and sound.
Common combinations
- golden effulgence
- A golden effulgence spread over the hills.
- the effulgence of the sun
- We bowed our heads before the effulgence of the sun.
- soft effulgence
- The lamps cast a soft effulgence on the table.
- bathed in effulgence
- The temple was bathed in effulgence at dusk.
Synonyms and how they differ
- radiance
- Radiance is the more common word for a glowing light and can also describe a happy look.
- brilliance
- Brilliance is plainer and also means great intelligence, which effulgence does not.
- splendor
- Splendor stresses grandeur or magnificence, while effulgence stresses shining light.
- glow
- Glow is an everyday word for a soft, steady light, much less elevated than effulgence.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: effulgence or effluence? effulgence or affluence?
effulgence vs effluence
Effluence means something flowing out, like waste liquid, and is not about light.
effulgence vs affluence
Affluence means wealth and is a different word.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'effulgence' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Effulgence means bright shining light. The second sentence confuses it with effluence, the third with affluence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “effulgence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.