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illuminate

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illuminate¹

  • /ɪˈl(j)umɪneɪt/ Canada, US, UK
  • /ɪˈl(j)uməneɪt/ Canada, US, UK
  • /ɪˈlʉmɪnæɪt/ Australia
  • /ɪˈlʉmənæɪt/ Australia

Where it comes from

From Middle English illuminaten, borrowed from Latin illūminātus, perfect passive participle of illūminō (“lighten, light up, show off”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from in + lūminō (“light up”), from lūmen (“light”). Cognate with Old English lȳman (“to glow, shine”). More at leam.

verb illuminates · illuminating · illuminated

  1. transitive To shine light on something. Nero illuminated his gardens with live Christians soaked in tar, and we were now treated to a similar spectacle, probably for the first time since his day, only happily our lamps were not living ones.
  2. transitive To decorate something with lights.
  3. figuratively, transitive To clarify or make something understandable. The situation, as it was, made it more difficult for him to leave. Yet it illuminated the very reasons why he had to go.
  4. transitive To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.
  5. figuratively, transitive To make spectacular. Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down.
  6. intransitive To glow; to light up. Red diode in button illuminates when camera runs at speed set in five-digit speed selector.
  7. intransitive To be exposed to light.
  8. transitive To direct a radar beam toward.

Similar: enlighten, illumine, quill, shine, alight, beshine, bright, fire, illume, illuminate, irradiate, light

illuminate²

  • /ɪˈl(j)umɪnət/ Canada, US, UK
  • /ɪˈlʉmənət/ Australia

Where it comes from

From Latin illūminātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more. For sense 3, see also Lumières.

adjective more illuminate · most illuminate

  1. obsolete Enlightened, illuminated, made bright. February 28 1630, Joseph Hall, The Hypocrite do ye see an illuminate elder of the anabaptists rapt in divine ecstasies?
  2. figuratively Enlightened spiritually, divinely taught or inspired; in technical use, converted, baptized.
  3. archaic Learned, erudite.

illuminate³

  • /ɪˈl(j)umɪnət/ Canada, US, UK
  • /ɪˈlʉmənət/ Australia

Where it comes from

From a substantivation of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) for more.

noun illuminates

  1. Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.

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