a. [ad. L. lūculentus, f. lūc-, lūx light.]
1. Full of light; bright, clear, shining. Now rare.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., X. 191. Trie out the grape vnhurt, neither to ripe Neither to sowre, as gemmys luculent.
1645. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 188. It emitted a luculent flame as bright and large as a small wax candle.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 631. Vipers … must be cocted on a luculent, but not a violent fire.
1726–46. Thomson, Winter, 710. Luculent along The purer rivers now.
1892. C. E. Norton, Dante’s Par., XXII. 143. The most luculent of those pearls.
2. † a. Of oratory, compositions in general: Brilliant, admirable; hence of a writer or orator (obs.). b. Of evidence, arguments: Clear, convincing. Of explanations: Lucid, luminous.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VII. (1809), 450. The kyng … gaue good eare to his luculent & eloquent oracion.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xl. § 2. The most luculent testimonies that Christian Religion hath.
1603. Eng. Mourn. Garm., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 486. She was still confident in her Saviour,… as appeared by many luculent examples.
1606. Dekker, Newes fr. Hell, Wks. (Grosart), II. 103. Luculent Poet, Elegant Orator.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., Title, Three Sermons … uport that luculent Prophecie of Peace, and Union, Esay chap. 11. v. 6. 7. and 8.
1675. Sir E. Sherburne, Manilius, Pref. 10. Having illustrated so Obscure a Subject in such Luculent Verse.
1693. J. H., in Dryden’s Juvenal, X. Notes 19. Mr. John Dryden Junior’s method therein is more Luculent than the Dauphin’s famous Tutors.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., III. III. (1852), 532. A most luculent and practical exposition.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 217. The redundance … may be indulged as a worthy remembrance of a most luculent example.
1824. Blackw. Mag., XVI. 6. I now desire Mr. James Ballantyne to set up in brevier the following luculent observations.
1851. ‘Nimrod,’ The Road, 61. A luculent chapter on the astonishing convenience of our public conveyances.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. v. II. 356. These glimpses of the Crown-Prince … are not very luculent to the reader.
1885–6. F. D. Allen, in Papers Amer. School at Athens (1888), IV. 39. A luculent case is in n. 58.
3. Of persons: Brilliant; illustrious. Obs.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., II. iii. Most debonaire, and Luculent Ladie.
c. 1600. Timon, III. iv. (1842), 31. By what faulte or fate of mine (luculent not lutulent Serjeants) shall I say it is come to passe.
c. 1620. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks. (1630), III. 117/2. Saint George comes: and seeing so bright and luculent a Goddesse … demanded entertainement.
