effulgence

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 10, 2026 is:

effulgence • \ih-FULL-junss\  • noun

Effulgence means “radiant splendor” or “brilliance.”

// Guests oohed and aahed at the sudden effulgence of the pagoda, as the last of its hundreds of candles were finally lit.

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Examples:

“No one knows who suggested that the building be lit at night. But the obvious inspiration was Times Square, an area famous for its nighttime effulgence.” — Robert Sharoff, FastCompany.com, 7 July 2025

Did you know?

Need a shiny word to bust out at your next disco party, planetarium visit, or fireworks gathering? How about effulgence? It’s not a shiny “new” word, having made its English language debut in the 17th century, but it’s unusual and has a lovely Latin pedigree: the verb fulgēre, meaning “to shine.” Effulgence isn’t used for bog-standard brightness, however; it’s reserved for shininess that dazzles, inspires, leaves you gobsmacked—in other words, “radiant splendor.”