Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Brilliant \Bril"liant\, n. [F. brillant. See {Brilliant}, a.]
   1. A diamond or other gem of the finest cut, formed into
      faces and facets, so as to reflect and refract the light,
      by which it is rendered more brilliant. It has at the
      middle, or top, a principal face, called the table, which
      is surrounded by a number of sloping facets forming a
      bizet; below, it has a small face or collet, parallel to
      the table, connected with the girdle by a pavilion of
      elongated facets. It is thus distinguished from the rose
      diamond, which is entirely covered with facets on the
      surface, and is flat below.

            This snuffbox -- on the hinge see brilliants shine.
                                                  --Pope.

   2. (Print.) The smallest size of type used in England
      printing.

   Note: This line is printed in the type called Brilliant.

   3. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.

Brilliant \Bril"liant\ (br[i^]l"yant), a. [F. brillant, p. pr.
   of briller to shine or sparkle (cf. Pr. & Sp. brillar, It.
   brillare), fr. L. beryllus a precious stone of sea-green
   color, Prov. It. brill. See {Beryl}.]
   1. Sparkling with luster; glittering; very bright; as, a
      brilliant star.

   2. Distinguished by qualities which excite admiration;
      splendid; shining; as, brilliant talents.

            Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal
            mistakes than to perform brilliant exploits.
                                                  --Fisher Ames.

   Syn: See {Shining}.

Source : WordNet®

brilliant
     adj 1: of surpassing excellence; "a brilliant performance"; "a
            superb actor" [syn: {superb}]
     2: having or marked by unusual and impressive intelligence;
        "some men dislike brainy women"; "a brilliant mind"; "a
        brilliant solution to the problem" [syn: {brainy}, {smart
        as a whip}]
     3: characterized by or attended with brilliance or grandeur;
        "the brilliant court life at Versailles"; "a glorious work
        of art"; "magnificent cathedrals"; "the splendid
        coronation ceremony" [syn: {glorious}, {magnificent}, {splendid}]
     4: having striking color; "bright greens"; "brilliant
        tapestries"; "a bird with vivid plumage" [syn: {bright}, {vivid}]
     5: full of light; shining intensely; "a brilliant star";
        "brilliant chandeliers"
     6: clear and sharp and ringing; "the bright sound of the
        trumpet section"; "the brilliant sound of the trumpets"
        [syn: {bright}]

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Brilliant
     
        One of five pedagogical languages based on {Markov}
        {algorithm}s, used in ["Nonpareil, a Machine Level Machine
        Independent Language for the Study of Semantics", B. Higman,
        ULICS Intl Report No ICSI 170, U London (1968)].
     
        See also {Diamond}, {Nonpareil}, {Pearl}, {Ruby}.