Wordfinder

Illuminate definition

ĭ-lo͝omə-nāt
illuminated illuminates illuminating
See word origin
Frequency:
To provide or brighten with light.
verb
30
8
Enlightened in mind or spirit.
adjective
17
4
Made bright with light.
adjective
11
4
One who has or professes to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.
noun
8
2
To clarify or make something understandable.
verb
5
0
Advertisement
(archaic) A person who has or claims to have special knowledge.
noun
10
6
To give light to; light up.
verb
4
0
To shine light on something.
verb
4
1
To decorate with lights.
verb
3
0
To brighten; animate.
verb
3
0
Advertisement
To make clear; explain; elucidate.
verb
3
0
To inform; instruct; enlighten.
verb
3
0
To expose to or reveal by radiation.
verb
2
0
To make understandable; clarify.
verb
2
0
To enlighten intellectually or spiritually; enable to understand.
verb
2
0
Advertisement
To make illustrious, glorious, or famous.
verb
1
0
To decorate (an initial letter or word) with designs, tracings, etc. of gold, silver, or bright colors.
verb
1
0
To decorate (a manuscript, page border, etc.) with such initial letters, miniature pictures, etc.
verb
1
0
To decorate something with lights.
verb
1
0
To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.
verb
1
0
Advertisement
(figuratively) To make spectacular.
verb
1
0
(intransitive) To glow.
verb
1
0
(intransitive) To be exposed to light.
verb
1
0
Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.
noun
1
0
(obsolete) Enlightened.

adjective
1
0
Advertisement
To decorate or hang with lights.
verb
3
3
To adorn (a page of a book, for example) with ornamental designs, images, or lettering in brilliant colors or precious metals.
verb
3
3
The definition of illuminate is to light something up or to explain something so that it is clear.

When you turn on a light, this is an example of a situation where you illuminate a room.

When you decorate your house for Christmas, this is an example of a situation where you illuminate a house.

When you give a simple explanation to help someone understand an issue, this is an example of a situation where the explanation illuminates the issue.

verb
1
1

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
illuminate
Plural:
illuminates

Origin of illuminate

  • Middle English illuminaten from Latin illūmināre illūmināt- in- in in–2 lūmināre to light up (from lūmen lūmin- light leuk- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle English illuminaten, originally from Latin illūminātum, supine of illūminō (“lighten, light up, show off”), from in + lūminō (“light up”), from lūmen (“light”). Cognate with Old English lȳman (“to glow, shine”). More at leam.

    From Wiktionary

Illuminate Sentence Examples

  • She opened the single wardrobe, pushing the doors open enough for the room's light to illuminate the contents.

  • Torch lights illuminate from a different level than the ground lighting.

  • In such instruments an arrangement is often required to intensely illuminate the object.

  • This will illuminate all of the infrared LEDs.

More sentences

Related articles

Words near illuminate in the Dictionary