illuminate

il·lu·mi·nate

Use illuminate in a sentence

A house illuminated at night.

verb

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.

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MLA Style

"illuminate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate>.

APA Style

illuminate. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate

illuminate

transitive verb

-·nat·ed, -·nat·ing

1. to give light to; light up
2. to brighten; animate
1. to make clear; explain; elucidate
2. to inform; instruct; enlighten
to make illustrious, glorious, or famous
to decorate with lights
1. to decorate (an initial letter or word) with designs, tracings, etc. of gold, silver, or bright colors
2. to decorate (a manuscript, page border, etc.) with such initial letters, miniature pictures, etc.

Origin of illuminate

from Classical Latin illuminatus, past participle of illuminare, to light up from in-, in + luminare, to light from lumen (gen. luminis), a light from Indo-European an unverified form leuksmen from base an unverified form leuk-: see illustrate

made bright with light
enlightened in mind or spirit

Archaic a person who has or claims to have special knowledge

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"illuminate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate>.

APA Style

illuminate. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate

illuminate

transitive verb

il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing, il·lu·mi·nates

To provide or brighten with light.
To decorate or hang with lights.
a. To make understandable; clarify: “Cleverly made attacks can … serve to illuminate important differences between candidates” ( New Republic )
b. To enlighten intellectually or spiritually; enable to understand: “I greatly misdoubt the accuracy of this … Can you illuminate me?” ( Charles Darwin )
To adorn (a page of a book, for example) with ornamental designs, images, or lettering in brilliant colors or precious metals.
To expose to or reveal by radiation.

noun

One who has or professes to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.

Origin of illuminate

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

Related Forms:

il·lu′mi·nat′ing·ly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"illuminate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate>.

APA Style

illuminate. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/illuminate

Verb

(third-person singular simple present illuminates, present participle illuminating, simple past and past participle illuminated)

to shine light on something
to decorate something with lights
to clarify or make something understandable
to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs
(figuratively) To make spectacular
(intransitive) to glow
(intransitive) to be exposed to light

Noun

(plural illuminates)

Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.

Adjective

(comparative more illuminate, superlative most illuminate)

(obsolete) enlightened

Origin

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.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.