Overilluminate: meaning, definitions and examples
💡
overilluminate
[ ˌoʊvərˈɪlˌjʊmɪneɪt ]
excess light
To overilluminate means to illuminate an area with excessive or unnecessary light, which can lead to glare or visual discomfort. This term is often used in contexts related to lighting design and architecture.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The stadium was overilluminated, causing players to struggle with glare.
- Overilluminating the display made it hard to read the information.
- They realized they had overilluminated the garden, deterring nocturnal creatures.
- The photographer avoided overilluminating the scene to maintain natural shadows.
Etymology
The word 'overilluminate' is a compound of the prefix 'over-' and the verb 'illuminate'. The prefix 'over-' is derived from Old English 'ofer', meaning 'excess' or 'beyond', which is used to indicate an excess or over-application of something. The word 'illuminate' comes from the Latin 'illuminare', which means 'to light up' or 'to make clear'. It is related to the noun 'lumen', which refers to light. The combination of these two elements reflects a scenario where lighting is applied beyond what is necessary or intended, leading to potential consequences such as visual discomfort or loss of aesthetic appeal.