Standard Lemma guide

lambent

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation, US: /ˈlæmbənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Brushing or flickering gently over a surface.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1800, William Cowper, The Task, Book VI: "The Winter Walk at Noon", Poems, J. Johnson, page 232, No foe to man / Lurks in the serpent now: the mother sees, / And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand / Stretch'd forth to dally with the crested worm, / To stroke his azure neck, or to receive / The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Glowing or luminous, but lacking heat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The lambent glow of fireflies delighted the children.
  • 1839, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Jonathan Birch (translator), Faust: A Tragedy, Black and Armstrong, page 127, The Witch, with much ceremony, fills the basin. As FAUST is about to raise it to his lips, it emits a clear flame. MEPHISTOPHELES. Quick! quickly down with it!—no breathing time allowed! [...] And does a lambent flame prevent thee quaff?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Exhibiting lightness or brilliance of wit; clever or witty without unkindness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • We appreciated her lambent comments.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: biting, cutting

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

softly bright or radiant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a house aglow with lights
  • glowing embers
  • lambent tongues of flame
  • the lucent moon
  • a sky luminous with stars

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aglow(p), lucent, luminous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin lambēns, present participle of lambō (“lick”).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: трепкащ (trepkašt) — Brushing or flickering gently
  • Bulgarian: играещ — Brushing or flickering gently
  • Polish: migotliwy — Brushing or flickering gently
  • Bulgarian: искрящ (iskrjašt) — Glowing or luminous, but lacking heat
  • Bulgarian: лъчист (lǎčist) — Glowing or luminous, but lacking heat