splendid

Splendid is an English adjective meaning exceptionally impressive, excellent, or magnificent. It can describe things that are of high quality, beauty, or grandeur, as well as things that shine or glow in a literal sense. The sense of brightness underpins many figurative uses, where admiration or praise is intended.

Etymology traces splendid to Latin splendēns, splendor, meaning "shining" or "bright," through Old French and Middle English. The word entered English with the general sense of brightness extended to describe impressive or grand qualities, a development that continues in modern usage.

In usage, splendid commonly precedes a noun in phrases such as a splendid idea, a splendid performance, splendid weather, or a splendid achievement. It can express sincere approval or admiration, and occasionally appears in a playful or ironical tone, depending on context and intonation. The adverbial form is splendidly, as in "the team played splendidly."

Related forms include the noun splendor (American spelling) or splendour (British spelling), referring to magnificence or brilliance. The adjective has a number of close synonyms, such as magnificent, superb, glorious, and marvellous, but it often carries a slightly brighter, more enthusing nuance. In contemporary usage, splendid remains common in both British and American English, though more common in formal or literary registers than in everyday conversational speech.