splendidness

Splendidness is the quality or state of being splendid: a high degree of excellence, magnificence, brightness, or beauty that inspires admiration. It can describe objects, performances, places, or experiences that stand out for their visual impressiveness, technical virtuosity, or noble character. The term is often used positively, sometimes with a sense of ceremonial or rhetorical emphasis.

Derived from the adjective splendid, from Latin splendidus, from splendere meaning to shine; English usage emerges in the medieval period. The noun splendidness is formed by the suffix -ness and is less common than splendid; in everyday usage, "splendor" or "magnificence" are more frequent synonyms.

In aesthetics, splendidness is associated with luminosity, proportion, ornament, or virtuosity, and may refer to the effective combination of form and function that produces admiration.

Different cultures may stress different aspects: brightness and ornament in some contexts; moral or virtuous grandeur in others.

Examples include a sunset, a grand architectural interior, a performance with precise timing, or a speech delivered with eloquence.

Because it is evaluative, splendidness depends on taste and context; what counts as splendid can be transient or culturally defined.