"quality of being brilliant," 1755, from brilliant + -ance. Figurative sense (of wit, intelligence, etc.) is from 1779. Distinguished from brilliancy in that the latter usually is applied to things measurable in degrees.
his `Hamlet' lacks the brilliance that one expects
bright
Bright's disease
brighten
brightness
brill
brilliance
brilliancy
brilliant
brim
brimful
brimming
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