lambent

[ lam-buhnt ]
See synonyms for lambent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. softly bright or radiant: a lambent light.

  2. running or moving lightly over a surface: lambent tongues of flame.

  1. dealing lightly and gracefully with a subject; brilliantly playful: lambent wit.

Origin of lambent

1
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin lambent- (stem of lambēns ) “lapping,” present participle of lambere “to lick, wash” (said of water or fire); akin to lap3; see -ent

Other words from lambent

  • lam·bent·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lambent in a sentence

  • Instead of the fierce light beating about a throne, it played lambently upon a sty.

  • There dark eyes flash lambently, telling the traveller he need not fear, since love may be had for the asking.

    Mrs. Craddock | W. Somerset Maugham

British Dictionary definitions for lambent

lambent

/ (ˈlæmbənt) /


adjective
  1. (esp of a flame) flickering softly over a surface

  2. glowing with soft radiance

  1. (of wit or humour) light or brilliant

Origin of lambent

1
C17: from the present participle of Latin lambere to lick

Derived forms of lambent

  • lambency, noun
  • lambently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012