bright
pronunciation
How to pronounce bright in British English:
UK [braɪt]
How to pronounce bright in American English:
US [braɪt]
-
- Adjective:
- emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
- having striking color
- characterized by quickness and ease in learning
- having lots of light either natural or artificial
- made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow
- splendid
- not made dim or less bright
- clear and sharp and ringing
- characterized by happiness or gladness
- abounding with sunlight
- full or promise
-
- Adverb:
- with brightness
Word Origin
- bright
- bright: [OE] Bright is a word of ancient origins, going back to Indo-European *bhereg-, which has produced a range of words with the same general meaning in a range of Indo-European languages (for example Sanskrit bhrājate ‘shine’). The Germanic derivative was *berkhtaz, which produced a number of offspring amongst the early Germanic languages, including Old English beorht, Old High German beraht, and Old Norse bjartr, all now lost except English bright.
- bright (adj.)
- Old English bryht, by metathesis from beorht "bright; splendid; clear-sounding; beautiful; divine," from Proto-Germanic *berhta- "bright" (cognates: Old Saxon berht, Old Norse bjartr, Old High German beraht, Gothic bairhts "bright"), from PIE root *bhereg- "to gleam, white" (cognates: Sanskrit bhrajate "shines, glitters," Lithuanian breksta "to dawn," Welsh berth "bright, beautiful"). Meaning "quick-witted" is from 1741.
Example
- 1. He hates reading , but he is bright .
- 2. Bright food is a hungry company .
- 3. The bright dining room overlooks the school opposite .
- 4. What 's that bright object in the sky ?
- 5. Who are these bodies , rabbits or humans , these broad smiles and bright eyes ?