Brightness
/ˈbraɪtnəs/
nounBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
The intensity of light emitted by a source.
/ˈbraɪtnəs/
nounneutralBeginner
General
The quality of being bright.
The brightness of the screen needs to be adjusted.
💡 Simply: How bright something is.
More Examples
2
The room was filled with a soft brightness.
How It's Used
Physics
"The brightness of the star was measured using a photometer."
Everyday Language
"The brightness of the sun hurt my eyes."
From Middle English *brightnesse, from Old English *brīhtnes, from *brīht ('bright').
Historically, 'brightness' was used more frequently in a metaphorical sense, referring to intellectual brilliance or moral purity, in addition to its literal meaning.
Memory tip
Think of a bright light; its brightness is how intense it shines.
Practice
brightnesbrigtness
Usage
40%Spoken
60%Written