éblouis

Éblouis is the masculine plural form of the past participle ébloui of the French verb éblouir, used as an adjective meaning dazzled, stunned, or awed, whether by light or by an impression. It agrees with the noun it modifies: des regards éblouis; ils étaient éblouis par la lumière. The feminine forms are éblouie (singular) and éblouies (plural), while the masculine singular past participle is ébloui. The present participle is éblouissant, meaning dazzling or brilliant. The verb éblouir itself means to blind or to dazzle, and is used both literally (a glare that blinds) and figuratively (a performance that astonishes).

Etymology for éblouir traces to Old French and developed in Middle French; its exact origin is not definitively established, but the core sense of overwhelming brightness or astonishment is central to its history. The noun éblouissement refers to the act or effect of dazzling or blinding, and éblouissant is the corresponding adjective for something that causes such an impression.

Usage and context: Éblouis is common in literary and journalistic French to describe an effect that captivates viewers or readers. It can be used transitively with avoir: « il a ébloui le public » (he dazzled the audience). In descriptive phrases one often encounters « un public ébloui » or « un regard ébloui ». Related terms include éblouissant, éblouissement, émerveiller and fasciner, which broaden the nuances of awe, brightness, and amazement.