Bril"liant (br&ibreve;l"yant), a. [F.
brillant, p. pr. of briller to shine or
sparkle (cf. Pr. & Sp. brillar, It. brillare), fr. L.
beryllus a precious stone of sea-green color, Prov. It.
brill. See Beryl.] 1. Sparkling with
luster; glittering; very bright; as, a brilliant star.
2. Distinguished by qualities which excite
admiration; splendid; shining; as, brilliant talents.
Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal mistakes than
to perform brilliant exploits.
Fisher Ames.
Syn. -- See Shining.
Bril"liant, n. [F. brillant. See
Brilliant, a.] 1. A diamond
or other gem of the finest cut, formed into faces and facets, so as to
reflect and refract the light, by which it is rendered more brilliant. It
has at the middle, or top, a principal face, called the table, which
is surrounded by a number of sloping facets forming a bizet; below,
it has a small face or collet, parallel to the table, connected with
the girdle by a pavilion of elongated facets. It is thus
distinguished from the rose diamond, which is entirely covered with
facets on the surface, and is flat below.
This snuffbox -- on the hinge see brilliants
shine.
Pope.
2. (Print.) The smallest size of type used
in England printing.
&fist; This line is printed in the type called Brilliant.
3. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the
weaving.
