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Definition of illustrious

illustrious

/ɪˈlʌs.tri.əs/
il · lus · tri · ous
Adverb:illustriously
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illustrious Lexical Profile

illustrious Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Well-known, respected, and admired for past achievements.

Example

"The retired professor looked back fondly on her long and illustrious career in astrophysics."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for illustrious

• Nearby Words

illustrative
illustratively
illustrator
illustrious
image
imagemaker
imager

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 16th century from Latin illustris ('lighted up, bright, distinguished'), formed from the prefix in- ('upon') and a root related to lustrare ('to illuminate').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Illustrious. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/illustrious
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