Word of the Month: Splendor

David Zapatka

While enjoying Self-Culture in The Light of the Ancient Wisdom by I.K. Taimni, I read this sentence, “There are subtler worlds of progressively increasing splendor behind and inter-penetrating the physical world of which we are cognizant through our physical senses…” The word “splendor” has always resonated with me. It’s one of those words that conjures up images of wonderment, amazement and some element of bliss, another of my favorite words. “Bliss” was one of our words of the month many years ago.

Splendor—splen·dor noun 1a: great brightness or luster, brilliancy 1b: magnificence, pomp 2: something splendidThe splendors of the past.”

Splendorous—adjective

Origin and EtymologyMiddle English splendure, from Anglo-French splendur, from Latin splendor, from splendere

First Known Use15th century

Having an alluring connotation, splendor has been used in various products.

Splendor is a board game published by Space Cowboys where Renaissance merchants race to grab gems, acquire property, and please nobility.

Splendor is a pure water beverage born from a natural aquifer in the rainforest in La Maná, Ecuador. It is volcanic water that starts its journey as snowfall atop one of the world’s highest active volcanoesthe Cotopaxiat the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The volcano’s high elevation, unique equatorial positioning and basalt and lava rocks give it vital minerals and energy as it filters naturally through the volcano.

Used in a sentence:

The palace had lost much of its original splendor.

The splendor of the ancient monument awed us into silence.

The splendor of the Florida Keys.

The magnificence and splendor of the city is at its peak during this season.

It was very lavish and very imposing, a grueling display of majestic splendor.

The snow carpeted the land, bathing the rolling plains in a magnificent, monochromic splendor.

Splendor used on the web:

And the tradition and splendor stretched back 900 years, to the time of William the Conqueror.Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 7 May 2023

Your best bet for viewing its splendor is to head to the dark of the mountains or seashore.Geoff Chester, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023

The nights are getting longer, the humidity is lower and the splendors of the summer sky grace the evening hours.Geoff Chester, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023

Yes, part of the splendor of the Horizon games is its ludicrous setting.Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2023

If there’s a spot for a spring flowering tree in your landscape, now is the time to look at the trees showing off their floral splendor.Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024

Where have you experienced splendor in your life? Would you like to share an experience with our readers? Please submit your experiences or any word you may like to share, along with your insights and comments, to [email protected].