Radiance
/ˈreɪ.di.əns/noun
The quality or state of being radiant; brightness or light.
Did you know?In medieval alchemy, radiance was associated with the spiritual light of enlightenment, believed to transform the soul into a higher state of being.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁reyd-
“to rise or shine (especially in terms of light).”
Latin
Latin
radiāre
“to emit rays or shine forth.”
Old French
Old French
radiance
“brightness or glow.”
Middle English
Middle English
radiance
“state of shining or glowing.”
Modern English
English
radiance
“the quality of emitting light or heat.”