-də̇d adjective
( often -er/-est )
Etymology: Latin splendidus, from splendēre to shine; akin to Greek splēdos ashes, Sanskrit sphuliṅga spark
1.
a. : marked by, manifestive of, adorned with, or maintained in showy magnificence : sumptuous
a very long, narrow chamber — splendid with chandeliers, Oriental rugs, and gilt furniture — Christopher Rand
the decoration of the public stage, so far from being merely passable, was strikingly splendid — Leslie Hotson
b. : brilliantly shining : radiant , lustrous , brilliant
c. : embellished as if with sumptuous ornaments : florid , ornate
his creed is set forth … in scores of phrases of splendid and empty sonorousness — S.H.Adams
2.
a. : superior or preeminent in accomplishment or distinction : illustrious , distinguished
a great man, a splendid figure in history — H.E.Scudder
b. : very good, fine, pleasant, or enjoyable : excellent , praiseworthy
the splendid cement road — Adria Langley
prompted by motives which are so splendid — Norman Angell
the slavery issue offers a splendid illustration of this feature — C.A.M.Ewing
c. : remarkably pure, complete, or extreme as an embodiment of its type
a miracle of splendid ugliness — Arnold Bennett
its often splendid lack of intelligibility — C.W.Mills
splendid isolation
Synonyms:
: splendid , resplendent , gorgeous , glorious , sublime , and superb can all mean having or displaying extraordinarily impressive qualities. All of these terms, like most terms designating superlative qualities, are commonly used interchangeably in hyperbole or as mere indications of great satisfaction in or admiration of something
a splendid dish of ice cream — Walt Whitman
a splendid hiker
a young ROTC student resplendent in Air Force blue — Land Kaderli
a gorgeous fat bass voice — Irish Digest
get yourself a gorgeous tan — Read Magazine
the deserted boat deck to be a gorgeous place to kiss — I.V.Morris
the glorious opportunity of intoxicating themselves at the public expense — J.G.Frazer
glorious onion soup — Ernest Beaglehole
sublime vacation areas — Laurence Lowry
a sublime cocktail
superb hunting and scenic attractions — Tom Marvel
a superb toy
but can be distinguished in more strict use. splendid can apply to what outshines the usual in brilliancy, magnificence, or the like
the courthouse with its portico and spire loomed splendid in the distance — Elinor Wylie
draw the whole opera together in this one splendid moment — Robert Craft
resplendent can apply to what seems to glow or blaze in beauty or splendor
the stars of early evening were resplendent — Erle Stanley Gardner
a resplendent butterfly — George Meredith
she had shown how great and resplendent a thing love could be — J.W.Krutch
gorgeous can stress a splendor of color or display, sometimes implying a showiness or undue but colorful elaborateness
this gorgeous combination of all the hues of Paradise — Henry Adams
a flair for the exotic and the gorgeous — F.O.Matthiessen
a mass of gorgeous upholstery and a labyrinth of luxurious architecture — G.K.Chesterton
glorious can suggest a radiant beauty or similar extraordinarily admirable quality
all the glorious colors of this beautiful range, deep blue and purple in the shadows of the peaks, green and brown where grass and rock mingled — Bram Stoker
a glorious display of fireworks
sublime can imply an elevation or exaltation in contemplation or an impossibility of fully grasping a thing's beauty, power, extent, nobility, or the like
the sublime mountain scenery of the West Highlands — O.S.Nock
the sublime but also terrible and sombre experiences and emotions of the battlefield — Sir Winston Churchill
had been born into that world of stylized drama, of vanity, vulgar pomp and sublime grace — Time
superb can apply to what has reached or is at a peak of development, competence, grandeur, or magnificence
superb political insight — A.M.Schlesinger b. 1917
superb horsemanship
a superb physique
superb cunning
a superb sunset