luminous
adjective
lu·mi·nous
ˈlü-mə-nəs 
1
a
: emitting or reflecting usually steady, suffused, or glowing light
… luminous objects—the nebula, the stars, the planets …—
Lincoln La Paz
Lincoln La Paz
b
: of or relating to light or to luminous flux
2
: bathed in or exposed to steady light
luminous with sunlight
3
: clear, enlightening
a luminous explanation
4
: shining, illustrious
a luminous film star
a luminous performance
luminously
adverb
luminousness
noun
Did you know?
Luminous, like its synonyms radiant, shining, glowing, and lustrous, is generally a positive adjective, especially when it describes something that doesn't literally glow, such as a face, a performance, or a poem. Luminous signs depend on a gas such as neon, krypton, argon, xenon, or radon—and you can use luminous (DayGlo) paint to make your own signs. New technologies have now given us luminous fabrics, which are being used to produce striking or creepy effects in clothing, upholstery, and interior surfaces.
Examples of luminous in a Sentence
I saw the cat's luminous eyes in my car's headlights.
a watch with a luminous dial
The room was luminous with sunlight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Included in the exhibition are Sea Idyll (1909), a luminous beach scene; Louis Comfort Tiffany (1911), a portrait of the famed American designer in his Long Island garden; and Señora de Sorolla in a Spanish Mantilla (1902), an intimate portrait of the artist’s wife.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Barthélémy is beautiful, luminous, committed, and vulnerable — and therefore just about succeeds in holding up Mount Olympus as the only character with interiority across the two-hour running time.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
Think soft glam, luminous skin, and a precise lip.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Smith beamed a luminous smile as Brosnan smoldered for the camera on the red carpet in 1995.
—John Russell, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for luminous
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Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Barthélémy is beautiful, luminous, committed, and vulnerable — and therefore just about succeeds in holding up Mount Olympus as the only character with interiority across the two-hour running time.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
Think soft glam, luminous skin, and a precise lip.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Smith beamed a luminous smile as Brosnan smoldered for the camera on the red carpet in 1995.
—John Russell, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for luminous
Cite this Entry
“Luminous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luminous. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
luminous
adjective
lu·mi·nous
ˈlü-mə-nəs
1
: giving off light : shining
2
: being lighted
a public square luminous with sunlight
3
: clear entry 1 sense 3
luminous writing
4
luminously
adverb
luminousness
noun
Medical Definition
luminous
adjective
lu·mi·nous
ˈlü-mə-nəs
1
: emitting or reflecting usually steady, suffused, or glowing light
2
: of or relating to light or to luminous flux
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