Lewis & Short

splendĭdus, a, um, adj. [splendeo], bright, shining, glittering, brilliant, etc. (class.; syn.: nitidus, lucidus, coruscus).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: o magna templa caelitum, commixta stellis splendidis, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 227 Vahl.); so, signa caeli, Lucr. 4, 444: lumina solis, id. 2, 108: caelum cum aequaliter totum erit splendidum, Plin. 18, 35, 80, § 351; cf. comp.: quanto splendidior quam cetera sidera fulget Lucifer, Ov. M. 2, 722: sol splendidior, Tib. 4, 1, 123.
      Sup.: splendidissimus candor, Cic. Rep. 6, 16, 16: color (with flam neus), Lucr. 6, 208: ostro crinis, Ov. M. 8, 8: venabula. id. ib. 8, 419: fons splendidio vitro, Hor. C. 3, 13, 1; cf.: Galatea Splendidior vitro, Ov. M. 13, 791: umor sudoris, Lucr. 6, 1187: bilis, bright yellow, χολὴ ξανθή, Hor. S. 2, 3, 141 (cf.: vitrea bilis, Pers. 3, 8).
    2. B. In partic., of style of living, dress, etc., brilliant, splendid, magnificent, sumptuous (syn. magnificus): quorum in villā ac domo nihil splendidum fuit praeter ipsos, Cic. Par. 5, 2, 38: splendida domus gaudet regali gaza, Cat. 64, 46; Verg. A. 1, 637: vestis, Petr. 12; cf.: splendidus et virilis cultus, Quint. 11, 3, 137: homo (opp. luxuriosus), Vell. 2, 105, 2: secundas res splendidiores facit amicitia, Cic. Lael. 6, 22.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., brilliant, illustrious, distinguished, noble (cf.: egregius, amplus): C. Plotius, eques Romanus splendidus, Cic. Fin. 2, 18, 58; cf.: vir splendidissimus atque ornatissimus civitatis suae, id. Fl. 20, 48: homo propter virtutem splendidus, id. Verr. 2, 4, 18, § 38; Plin. Ep. 4, 4, 2: splendidissima ingenia, Cic. Off. 1, 8, 26; 1, 18, 61: causa splendidior, id. Rosc. Am. 49, 142; cf.: splendida facta, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 237: ratio dicendi, Cic. Brut. 75, 261; so, splendida et grandis oratio, id. ib. 79, 273; cf.: splendidius et magnificentius (genus dicendi), id. ib. 55, 201; cf.: figurarum commentis splendida loca attentare, brilliant passages of a speech, Amm. 29, 2, 8: splendidis nominibus illuminatus est versus, Cic. Or. 49, 163: splendidioribus verbis uti, id. Brut. 58: vox suavis et splendida, clear, id. ib. 55, 203: cum de te splendida Minos Fecerit arbitria, Hor. C. 4, 7, 21.
    2. B. In partic. (with the accessory idea of mere appearance, opp. to what is real or actual), showy, fine, specious, = speciosus: non tam solido quam splendido nomine, Cic. Fin. 1, 18, 61: praetendens culpae splendida verba tuae, Ov. R. Am. 240.
    3. C. Clear, distinct: vox, Cic. Brut. 55, 203.
      Hence, adv.: splendĭdē, brightly, brilliantly.
      1. 1. Lit.: ornare magnifice splendideque convivium, Cic. Quint. 30, 93; cf.: apparatus splendidissime expositus, Petr. 21.
      2. 2. Trop., brilliantly, splendidly, nobly: acta aetas honeste ac splendide, honorably, with distinction, Cic. Tusc. 3, 25, 61; cf. id. Sen. 18, 64: splendidius contra regem quam, etc., bellum gerere, Auct. B. Alex. 24, 2: ornate splendideque facere, Cic. Off. 1, 1, 4: dicta, id. Fin. 1, 2, 6: in parentem Splendide mendax, Hor. C. 3, 11, 35: splendidissime natus, of very high birth, Sen. Ep. 47, 8; cf. Plin. Ep. 6, 33, 2.
          1. (β) Clearly, intelligibly: loqui, Cic. de Or. 2, 16, 68.
          2. (γ) Ostentatiously: invitare, Auct. Her. 4, 50, 63; cf.: parum se splendide gerere, with too little show, meanly, Nep. Att. 14, 2.