illuminate
illuminate Lexical Profile
illuminate Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To supply or brighten with light; to shine light upon.
"Tall streetlamps illuminate the cobblestone plaza after sunset."
To help clarify or explain a complex subject; to shed intellectual or spiritual light on.
"The newly discovered letters illuminate the poet's creative process during her years abroad."
To decorate a manuscript page, initial letter, or book with gold, silver, or bright colors and miniature designs.
"Monks worked for months to illuminate the gospel book with intricate gold leaf and vibrant lapis lazuli."
• Rhymes for illuminate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late Middle Ages from Latin 'illuminatus', the past participle of 'illuminare' ('to light up, make bright'), formed from 'in-' ('in, upon') and 'lumen' ('light'). In medieval scriptoria, the verb also came to describe the art of adorning manuscripts with gold and silver leaf that seemed to catch and reflect light.