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Definition of luminary

luminary

/ˈluːmɪnɛri/
lu · mi · nar · y
Plural:luminaries
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luminary Lexical Profile

luminary Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who inspires or influences others, especially one who is highly prominent and respected in a particular sphere or profession.

Example

"The symposium on artificial intelligence was attended by several luminaries in the field of computer science."

2

A natural light-giving celestial body, particularly the sun or the moon.

Example

"Ancient astronomers meticulously tracked the movements of the great luminaries across the night sky to map the seasons."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for luminary
Antonyms
View all antonyms for luminary

• Nearby Words

lumberman
lumberyard
lumen
luminary
luminescence
luminescent
luminosity

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'luminarie', from Old French 'luminarie', derived from Late Latin 'luminarium' (lamp, light), which in turn comes from Latin 'lumen' (light).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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