5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brilliant  \Bril"liant\,  n.  [F.  brillant.  See  {Brilliant},  a.] 
  1.  A  diamond  or  other  gem  of  the  finest  cut,  formed  into 
  faces  and  facets,  so  as  to  reflect  and  refract  the  light, 
  by  which  it  is  rendered  more  brilliant.  It  has  at  the 
  middle,  or  top  a  principal  face,  called  the  table,  which 
  is  surrounded  by  a  number  of  sloping  facets  forming  a 
  bizet;  below,  it  has  a  small  face  or  collet,  parallel  to 
  the  table,  connected  with  the  girdle  by  a  pavilion  of 
  elongated  facets.  It  is  thus  distinguished  from  the  rose 
  diamond,  which  is  entirely  covered  with  facets  on  the 
  surface,  and  is  flat  below. 
 
  This  snuffbox  --  on  the  hinge  see  brilliants  shine. 
  --Pope. 
 
  2.  (Print.)  The  smallest  size  of  type  used  in  England 
  printing. 
 
  Note:  This  line  is  printed  in  the  type  called  Brilliant. 
 
  3.  A  kind  of  cotton  goods,  figured  on  the  weaving. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brilliant  \Bril"liant\  (br[i^]l"yant),  a.  [F.  brillant,  p.  pr 
  of  briller  to  shine  or  sparkle  (cf.  Pr  &  Sp  brillar  It 
  brillare),  fr  L.  beryllus  a  precious  stone  of  sea-green 
  color,  Prov.  It  brill.  See  {Beryl}.] 
  1.  Sparkling  with  luster;  glittering;  very  bright;  as  a 
  brilliant  star. 
 
  2.  Distinguished  by  qualities  which  excite  admiration; 
  splendid;  shining;  as  brilliant  talents. 
 
  Washington  was  more  solicitous  to  avoid  fatal 
  mistakes  than  to  perform  brilliant  exploits. 
  --Fisher  Ames. 
 
  Syn:  See  {Shining}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  brilliant 
  adj  1:  of  surpassing  excellence;  "a  brilliant  performance";  "a 
  superb  actor"  [syn:  {superb}] 
  2:  having  or  marked  by  unusual  and  impressive  intelligence; 
  "some  men  dislike  brainy  women";  "a  brilliant  mind";  "a 
  brilliant  solution  to  the  problem"  [syn:  {brainy},  {smart 
  as  a  whip}] 
  3:  characterized  by  or  attended  with  brilliance  or  grandeur; 
  "the  brilliant  court  life  at  Versailles";  "a  glorious  work 
  of  art";  "magnificent  cathedrals";  "the  splendid 
  coronation  ceremony"  [syn:  {glorious},  {magnificent},  {splendid}] 
  4:  having  striking  color;  "bright  greens";  "brilliant 
  tapestries";  "a  bird  with  vivid  plumage"  [syn:  {bright},  {vivid}] 
  5:  full  of  light;  shining  intensely;  "a  brilliant  star"; 
  "brilliant  chandeliers" 
  6:  clear  and  sharp  and  ringing;  "the  bright  sound  of  the 
  trumpet  section";  "the  brilliant  sound  of  the  trumpets" 
  [syn:  {bright}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Brilliant,  AL  (town,  FIPS  9424) 
  Location:  34.01672  N,  87.77581  W 
  Population  (1990):  751  (366  housing  units) 
  Area:  7.8  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  35548 
  Brilliant,  OH  (village,  FIPS  8812) 
  Location:  40.26850  N,  80.62490  W 
  Population  (1990):  1672  (695  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.5  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  43913 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  Brilliant 
 
  One  of  five  pedagogical  languages  based  on  {Markov} 
  {algorithm}s,  used  in  ["Nonpareil,  a  Machine  Level  Machine 
  Independent  Language  for  the  Study  of  Semantics",  B.  Higman, 
  ULICS  Intl  Report  No  ICSI  170,  U  London  (1968)]. 
 
  See  also  {Diamond},  {Nonpareil},  {Pearl},  {Ruby}. 
 
 

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