illuminate en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- audio Queensland
- /ɪˈl(j)umɪneɪt/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɪˈl(j)uməneɪt/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɪˈlʉmənæɪt/ (Australia)
- (California) audio
- /ɪˈlʉmɪnæɪt/ (Australia)
Etymology
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.
Meanings
-
(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.
1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:A light that is one foot away from the subject's face will completely illuminate the face, but leave the rest of the body softer and darker.
2006, Michael Grecco, Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait, Amphoto Books, →ISBN, page 40:Riding along the busy, narrow roads of Bali on her scooter with the sun illuminating her face, Victoria Kjos has a clear destination in sight — the beach.
2025 July 31, Tamara Hardingham-Gill, “‘Everyone I know in the US who has a conscience wants to leave’: Why this American woman relocated to Bali”, in CNN, archived from the original on 02 Aug 2025:
- (transitive) To decorate something with lights.
-
(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.
1986, Craig G. Harris, “Weekend Plans”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 138:
- (transitive) To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.
-
(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.
2012 June 2, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Belgium”, in BBC Sport:
-
(intransitive) To glow; to light up.
Say my name / and every color illuminates. / We are shining / […]
2011/2012, "Spectrum", written by Florence Welch and Paul Epworth, performed by Florence and the Machine, released on the album Ceremonials (2011)Red diode in button illuminates when camera runs at speed set in five-digit speed selector.
1994, Sylvia Carlson, Verne Carlson, Professional Cameraman's Handbook, →ISBN, page 494:
- (intransitive) To be exposed to light.
- (transitive) To direct a radar beam toward.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| illuminating | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| illuminated | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| illuminated | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| illuminates | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
retroilluminate · reilluminate · preilluminate · illuminator · illuminative · transilluminate · interilluminate · disilluminate · counterilluminate
Hyponyms
Relateds
Synonyms
quill · illume · shed light on · belight (shine light on something) · illustrate (decorate the page of a manuscript book) · clarify (make something understandable) · bring home (make something understandable) · illumine · gleam (to glow; to light up) · irradiate · luster · bright · straighten out (make something understandable) · elucidate (make something understandable) · lighten · beshine · enlighten · illuminate · light up · lustrate · alight · sort out (make something understandable) · light · explicitize (make something understandable) · shine · fire
Translations (98)
de erhellen (to shine light on something) · cs osvětlovat (to shine light on something) · ro decora (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · hu ábrákkal díszít (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · hu megmagyaráz (to clarify or make something understandable) · tr ışıklandırmak (to shine light on something) · bg украсявам с рисунки (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · ro lumina (to shine light on something) · fi valaista (to shine light on something) · nrf illeuminner (to shine light on something) · fr illuminer (to shine light on something) · io enluminar (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · ru освети́ть (to shine light on something) · ru разъясня́ть (to clarify or make something understandable) · it illuminare (to clarify or make something understandable) · tr ışıklandırmak (to decorate something with lights) · bg разясня́вам (to clarify or make something understandable) · uk освітли́ти (to shine light on something) · ru подсвети́ть (to decorate something with lights) · grc φωτίζω (to shine light on something) · gl alumear (to shine light on something) · cmn 照亮 (to shine light on something) · es iluminar (to clarify or make something understandable) · io klarigar (to clarify or make something understandable) · ja 照らす (to shine light on something) · pt clarificar (to clarify or make something understandable) · pl oświetlać (to shine light on something) · kk бүйірден сəулелендіру (to decorate something with lights) · fi valaista (to clarify or make something understandable) · kk ағарту (to clarify or make something understandable) · hu megvilágít (to clarify or make something understandable) · lt apšviesti (to shine light on something) · tr aydınlatmak (to shine light on something) · ru просвети́ть (to clarify or make something understandable) · ja 照明する (to shine light on something) · cy goliwio (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · cy goleuo (to shine light on something) · ca il·luminar (to shine light on something) · az işıqlandırmaq (to shine light on something) · mwl alhumbrar (to shine light on something) · uk осві́тлювати (to shine light on something) · de illuminieren (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · hu megértet (to clarify or make something understandable) · gl iluminar (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · uk освітли́ти (to clarify or make something understandable) · kk жарықтандыру (to shine light on something) · kk астыңғы жағынан жарық түсіру (to decorate something with lights) · et valgustama (to shine light on something) · de beleuchten (to shine light on something) · nl verlichten (to decorate something with lights) · xto luk- (to shine light on something) · it illuminare (to shine light on something) · pt iluminar (to decorate something with lights) · sv lysa upp (to shine light on something) · cy addurno (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · es iluminar (to shine light on something) · qu achikyay (to shine light on something) · pt iluminar (to shine light on something) · txb luk- (to shine light on something) · la illuminare (to shine light on something) · ro clarifica (to clarify or make something understandable) · bg осветля́вам (to shine light on something) · io lumizar (to shine light on something) · ga maisigh (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · de illuminieren (to decorate something with lights) · nl verluchtigen (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · bg поясня́вам (to clarify or make something understandable) · bg осветя́вам (to shine light on something) · cs osvětlit (to shine light on something) · nl verluchten (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · mi tūrama (to shine light on something) · cmn 照明 (to shine light on something) · it chiarire (to clarify or make something understandable) · ia illuminar (to shine light on something) · ro ilumina (to decorate something with lights) · nl verhelderen (to clarify or make something understandable) · hu megvilágít (to shine light on something) · bg осветля́ (to shine light on something) · it miniare (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · kk түсіндіру (to clarify or make something understandable) · nl belichten (to shine light on something) · uk осві́тлювати (to clarify or make something understandable) · nl illumineren (to decorate something with lights) · io iluminar (to decorate something with lights) · gl iluminar (to shine light on something) · pl iluminować (to shine light on something) · sv belysa (to shine light on something) · ru освеща́ть (to shine light on something) · ru разъясни́ть (to clarify or make something understandable) · bg поясня́ (to clarify or make something understandable) · eo ilumini (to decorate something with lights) · hy լուսավորել (to shine light on something) · pt clarear (to clarify or make something understandable) · ro ilumina (to shine light on something) · pt iluminar (to decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs) · eo lumigi (to shine light on something) · bg осветя́ (to shine light on something) · bg разясня́ (to clarify or make something understandable)