magnificence

noun

mag·​nif·​i·​cence mag-ˈni-fə-sən(t)s How to pronounce magnificence (audio)
məg-
Synonyms of magnificencenext
1
: the quality or state of being magnificent
2
: splendor of surroundings

Synonyms of magnificence

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of magnificence in a Sentence

the magnificence of the great castle hallway is beyond description
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For all its magnificence, this all-American dessert is not the easiest to make from scratch. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 13 May 2026 Loser goes home, just like the others bounced from this bonkers initial knockout round — dreams trounced via penalty kick or last-minute magnificence or just … a big French bully. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 1 July 2026 Each piece spells out a message—happiness, beauty, and magnificence—in the ancient pictorial writing. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 Championing not just human magnificence but human imperfection is a radical turn. — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for magnificence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin magnificentia, from magnificus noble in character, magnificent, from magnus great + -ficus -fic — more at much

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnificence was in the 14th century

Rhymes for magnificence

See All Rhymes for magnificence

Browse Nearby Words

magnification
magnificence
magnificency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Magnificence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnificence. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

magnificence

noun
mag·​nif·​i·​cence mag-ˈnif-ə-sən(t)s How to pronounce magnificence (audio)
: the quality or state of being magnificent

More from Merriam-Webster on magnificence

Nglish: Translation of magnificence for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All