The word 'splendour' originates from the Latin verb splendēre, meaning 'to shine, be bright'. This Latin root is believed to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root (s)plend-, which carried the core meaning of brightness. The Anglo-French suffix -our (from Latin -or) was attached to form a noun denoting the abstract quality or state of shining brilliance. Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal sense of physical radiance to the figurative and more common modern sense of magnificent and impressive beauty.

Structure: splend (shine) + our (noun suffix) splend: From Latin splendēre (to shine, be bright). It functions as the core root conveying the sense of brightness and brilliance. our: A noun-forming suffix, a variant of the suffix -or, used to form abstract nouns indicating a state or quality. It is of Latin origin via Anglo-French.