illuminati
illuminati Lexical Profile
illuminati Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(usually capitalized) Any of several historical or purported secret societies—most notably the short-lived Bavarian Republican movement founded in 1776, or in modern conspiracy theories, a shadowy global cabal alleged to mastermind world affairs.
"Countless conspiracy theories allege that the Illuminati secretly orchestrate global financial markets and political elections."
(plural) Persons claiming or regarded as possessing superior intellectual, cultural, or spiritual enlightenment.
"The gallery opening attracted a small circle of literary and artistic illuminati from across the city."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although morphologically the Latin plural of 'illuminatus', in modern English 'Illuminati' (when capitalized) is frequently construed as a singular collective noun referring to a shadowy global cabal, while in lowercase ('illuminati') it takes a plural verb to refer to intellectually enlightened elites.
• Rhymes for illuminati
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from Latin 'illuminati' ('the enlightened ones'), the masculine plural past participle of 'illuminare' ('to light up or enlighten'), and popularized in the late 18th century as the title of a Bavarian secret society founded by Adam Weishaupt in 1776.