lambent

UK: /ˈlæmbənt/ US: (lam′bənt)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lam•bent  (lam′bənt), adj. 

1. running or moving lightly over a surface:
   lambent tongues of flame.
2. dealing lightly and gracefully with a subject;
   brilliantly playful:
   lambent wit.
3. softly bright or radiant:
   a lambent light.

• Latin lambent- (stem of lambēns) lapping, present participle of lambere to lick wash (said of water or fire); akin to lap³; see -ent
• 1640–50

lam′bent•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lambent / ˈlæmbənt/ adjective

1. (esp of a flame) flickering softly over a surface
2. glowing with soft radiance
3. (of wit or humour) light or brilliant

Etymology: 17th Century: from the present participle of Latin lambere to lick

ˈlambency noun

ˈlambently adverb