illuminate
illuminate
Definition
il·lu·mi·nate (i lo̵̅o̅′mə nāt′)
transitive verb -·nat′ed, -·nat′·ing
- to give light to; light up
- to brighten; animate
- to make clear; explain; elucidate
- to inform; instruct; enlighten
- to make illustrious, glorious, or famous
- to decorate with lights
- to decorate (an initial letter or word) with designs, tracings, etc. of gold, silver, or bright colors
- to decorate (a manuscript, page border, etc.) with such initial letters, miniature pictures, etc.
Etymology: < L illuminatus, pp. of illuminare, to light up < in-, in + luminare, to light < lumen (gen. luminis), a light < IE *leuksmen < base *leuk-: see illustrate
adjective
- make bright with light
- enlightened in mind or spirit
noun
Archaic a person who has or claims to have special knowledge
il·lu′·mi·nable adjective
illuminate
Synonyms
illuminate
v.
illuminate
Usage Examples
Object
- manuscript: Books of Hours were the most popular sort of medieval illuminated manuscript.
- bollard: Considering road safety for the general public at large, a pedestrian refuge with illuminated bollards is to be constructed in North Street.
- sign: The density of illuminated signs in Times Square now rivals Las Vegas.
- darkness: The latter illuminates the darkness of ignorance with the light of knowledge.
- mirror: The mirrors sit within the router so that only one wavelength can illuminate any one mirror.
- specimen: Here you simple obstruct most of the light in the cone, leaving just the edge of light cone still illuminating the specimen.
Subject
- sunlight: Illuminated by sunlight, the prints are transparent enough to see through to the outside urban surroundings.
- lamp: All three cartridge stores were entered through shifting lobbies and illuminated by lamps placed in recesses from the adjacent chambers.
- sun: The curious, spidery blooms look great illuminated by the winter sun.
- candle: The cell was illuminated by a single candle next to an open bible.
- beam: Unusual features: The program can be used to calculate the absorption in samples that are only partly illuminated by the X-ray beam.
Modifying Another Word
- brightly: Will we find government brightly illuminated by the new right to know?
- internally: Computer displays usually need to be illuminated internally in order to make their pixels visible.
- dimly: When we reached the plateau, we found a broad square, dimly illuminated by street lights, into which many streets converged.
Preposition: by
- sunlight: Illuminated by sunlight, the prints are transparent enough to see through to the outside urban surroundings.
- lamp: All three cartridge stores were entered through shifting lobbies and illuminated by lamps placed in recesses from the adjacent chambers.
- candle: The cell was illuminated by a single candle next to an open bible.
- sun: The curious, spidery blooms look great illuminated by the winter sun.
- beam: Unusual features: The program can be used to calculate the absorption in samples that are only partly illuminated by the X-ray beam.
- moon: Two chapters, Leaning from the steep slope and On a carpet of leaves illuminated by the moon, are stand-alone masterpieces.
illuminate Quotes
The primary duty of a serious biographer is to illuminate hissubject'slife work, nottoplay thespy inhisbedroom.
Browse dictionary entries near illuminate
- illuminant
- illuminance
- illume
- illogical
- illogic
- illocutionary
- illness
- illiterate
- illiteracy
- illite
- illuminated
- illuminati
- illumination
- illuminative
- illuminator
- illumine
- illuminism
- illus
- illusion
- illusionism
