brillant French · revision 16028

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1564, Jean Thierry}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bʁi.jɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''brillant''' (feminine brillante, masculine plural brillants, feminine plural brillantes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[briller|t=to shine]] used as an adjective and a noun.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The verb (1559) is borrowed from [[it|brillare|t=to flutter; to sparkle]], a word of obscure origin: Rey thinks it most likely imitative, like Italian “prillare” “to spin”, from a stem “*pir(l)-” “to move about, turn”, the optical sense coming from the trembling twinkle of stars, Bloch and Wartburg derive it from [[la|bēryllus|t=beryl]], “to shine like beryl”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean Thierry's French–Latin dictionary (1564) has the adjective, “that shines”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start it was also used figuratively of a person who succeeds and is admired, and of things that stand out (''une brillante carrière'', ''un esprit brillant'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) As a noun ''le brillant'' was the quality of what shines (Régnier, 1608: ''le brillant de mainte pierrerie'') and figuratively brilliance, show (Corneille, 1636, ''faux brillant'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In 1671 (La Fontaine) ''un brillant'' was a diamond cut in facets, now a round diamond of 57 or 58 facets.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse) Derivatives include ''brillamment'' (1583), ''brillanter'' (1740), ''brillantine'' (1823) and ''brillance'' (1928, after English ''brilliancy'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1559 – ''Briller''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1564 – The adjective, in Thierry.^(TLFi)

+ * 1583 – ''Brillamment''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1608 – ''Le brillant'' in Régnier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1636 – Figurative noun, in Corneille.^(TLFi)

+ * 1671 – A cut diamond, in La Fontaine.^(TLFi)

+ * 1823 – ''Brillantine''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1928 – ''Brillance''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Shining, shiny, bright: ''des yeux brillants'', ''des cheveux brillants''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|brilliant|alt=Brilliant]], outstanding: ''un brillant avenir'', ''un élève brillant'', ''pas brillant'': not great.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Shine, lustre: ''le brillant des chromes'', ''(figurative)'' sparkle, glitter.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A brilliant (diamond): ''une bague de brillants''.^(Larousse)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Brillant à lèvres'': lip gloss.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[brillamment]]

+ * [[brillanter]]

+ * [[brillantine]]

+ * [[brillance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[briller]]

+ * [[béryl]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}