luculent
/ˈluːkjʊlənt/
adjective
Origin
Latin
luculentus — bright, shining, clear
Overview
Meaning Now
- Clear, lucid, or transparent.
- Easily understood or intelligible; bright in meaning or expression.
Literal older meaning
full of light
Language path
Latin → Middle English → English
Earliest form
luculent
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word entered English during the Renaissance, a period when writers frequently borrowed directly from Latin to expand the precision and vocabulary of the English language. It is a cognate of 'lucid', sharing the same Indo-European root related to light.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*leuk-
“light, brightness”
- Latin
lux
“light”
- Latin
luculentus
“bright, clear”
Derived from lux with the suffix -ulentus
- English, 16th century
luculent
“clear, shining”
Direct borrowing from Latin
Connections
Word parts
luc-
root
light
-ulent
suffix
full of, abounding in
Related across languages
Latin
luculentus
bright
French
bright
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.