Illumine: meaning, definitions and examples

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illumine

 

[ ɪˈluːmɪn ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

light or explain

To illumine means to light up or make brighter. It can also refer to the act of clarifying or explaining something, bringing understanding to a topic that may be obscure. The term is often used in literary or poetic contexts, where it denotes shedding light on a subject, illuminating concepts or providing insight. Having both a physical and metaphorical usage, it encapsulates the idea of enlightenment in both a literal and figurative sense.

Synonyms

brighten, clarify, enlighten, lighten

Examples of usage

  • The artist aimed to illumine the dark corners of human emotion.
  • The streetlights will illumine the path for night walkers.
  • Her lecture sought to illumine the complexities of quantum physics.
  • Stars illumine the night sky, creating a breathtaking view.

Translations

Translations of the word "illumine" in other languages:

🇵🇹 iluminar

🇮🇳 प्रकाशित करना

🇩🇪 erleuchten

🇮🇩 menerangi

🇺🇦 освітлювати

🇵🇱 oświetlać

🇯🇵 照らす

🇫🇷 illuminer

🇪🇸 iluminar

🇹🇷 aydınlatmak

🇰🇷 비추다

🇸🇦 يضيء

🇨🇿 osvětlit

🇸🇰 osvetliť

🇨🇳 照亮

🇸🇮 osvetliti

🇮🇸 ljóma

🇰🇿 жарқырату

🇬🇪 სინათლე

🇦🇿 işıqlandırmaq

🇲🇽 iluminar

Etymology

The word 'illumune' traces its roots back to the Latin term 'illuminare', which means 'to light up' or 'to make clear'. It is formed from the prefix 'in-' meaning 'in, on, or into' and 'luminare', derived from 'lumine', which means 'light'. The term passed through Old French before entering the English language in the 15th century, maintaining both its physical meaning related to light and its metaphorical sense of providing clarity or insight. Over time, 'illumune' has been used in various literary contexts, often to evoke themes of enlightenment both in an intellectual and spiritual sense, reflecting the evolution of its usage parallel to societal developments in art and science.