brillante
/brilˈlan.te/
The Italian word for shiny is brillante.
brillante is used to describe something that is reflecting light. To add extra emphasis to a sense of brilliance or intense shininess, you can also use splendente.
Meaning: reflecting light (adj)
Which one should you use?
While brillante means shiny in the sense of reflecting light, it is also the standard Italian word for 'brilliant' when describing someone's intelligence or a performance. If you are specifically describing a surface that is shiny because it has been polished, such as a floor or shoes, the word lucido is a common alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective brillante is invariable in gender, so it remains the same for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. For plural nouns, use brillanti for both masculine and feminine forms.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /brilˈlan.te/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In the world of music, the term brillante is used as a performance direction in scores to tell the musician to play in a bright and sparkling style.
- In Italian, the word brillante is used to describe a 'diamond' (diamante brillante), referring specifically to the 'brilliant cut' used to maximize sparkle.
- The word lucido can also be used metaphorically in Italian to describe a thought or an idea that is 'clear' or 'lucid'.
Examples in context
- È brillante.It's shiny.This sentence is useful for practicing the adjective brillante.Tatoeba #3187182 by Guybrush88, translation #2123578 by CK
- La superficie della scultura era davvero lucida.The surface of the sculpture was really shiny.
- La luna era splendente nel cielo notturno.The moon was shining brightly in the night sky.
- Le perle sul suo vestito erano splendenti come stelle.The pearls on her dress were shining like stars.
- Il metallo è molto brillante.The metal is very shiny.
- Ho visto un riflesso brillante sull'acqua.I saw a shiny reflection on the water.
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are looking at a new piece of jewelry.
- ChiaraGuarda come è brillante questo anello!Look how shiny this ring is!
- FrancescoSì, è davvero un pezzo splendido.Yes, it is a truly splendid piece.
- ChiaraMi piace molto la sua luce.I really like its light.
- FrancescoTi sta benissimo, Chiara.It looks great on you, Chiara.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry brillante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
