Brilliant

Adjective with shared origins and formal definitions with "bright" but with geographically varied differences in colloquial use:

A. United States: Intelligent, particularly in innovative or unique ways. Often used sarcastically for shining examples of outstanding and innovative stupidity.

B. Britain: Of very high quality in any way, in a manner or circumstance where that quality stands out.

C. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: Predominantly used in the sarcastic mode of the US sense.

US(direct): The marketing of sage as a recreational drug by calling it 'Sticky Purple Salvia' was brilliant.

US(sarcastic): Rick Santorum is brilliant to answer questions about contraception.

UK: The Doctor frequently says 'You're brilliant!" to people who have no idea why.

Canada: With P.M. Harper's party leading an unstable minority government, his strategy of looking to George Bush as a role model is brilliant.

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