Illumination — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnā-shən/ il·lu·mi·na·tion

Meaning & Definition of Illumination

Illumination (noun)

  1. the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated
  2. spiritual or intellectual enlightenment
  3. a lighting up

Illumination (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a statement that makes something clear

    "the candidate's so-called illuminations of his views on a number of controversial issues left many voters in the dark"

    similar: clarification, construction, elucidation, exegesis, explanation, explication, exposition, illustration, interpretation, road map
    related: paraphrase, restatement, translation, annotation, comment, commentary, epexegesis, gloss, deciphering, decoding, disentanglement, unscrambling, analysis, edification, enlightenment, definition, meaning, demonstration, enactment, justification, rationale, rationalization, reasoning, caution, caveat, warning

  2. the quality or state of having or giving off light

    "in that clime the illumination of the full moon on a clear night is so bright that you can practically read by it"

    similar: brightness, brilliance, brilliancy, candor, dazzle, effulgence, lambency, lightness, luminance, luminosity, luminousness, luster, lustrousness, radiance, refulgence, splendor
    related: blaze, flare, flash, flicker, light, fluorescence, incandescence, luminescence, burnish, gloss, polish, sheen, shine, shininess, fire, flame, glare, glow, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glitter, scintillation, shimmer, sparkle, twinkle
    opposite: blackness, dark, darkness, dullness, duskiness
    near: dimness, gloominess, somberness, cloudiness, haziness, murkiness, obscureness, obscurity, colorlessness, grayness, lackluster, paleness, shadiness, shadowiness

  3. the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible

    "a steady illumination from the flashlight was all I had while changing the tire"

    similar: blaze, flare, fluorescence, glare, gleam, glow, incandescence, light, luminescence, radiance, shine
    related: flash, glimmer, glint, glitter, scintillation, shimmer, sparkle, twinkle, daylight, moonlight, sunlight, sunshine, afterglow, aureole, aurora, beam, halo, ray, shaft, streak, stream, sunbeam, glisten, gloss, luster, polish, reflection, sheen
    near: blackness, dark, darkness, dimness, dusk, duskiness, gloom, night, shadow

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Illumination

The most common words with a similar meaning to Illumination:

clarification, construction, elucidation, exegesis, explanation, explication, exposition, illustration, interpretation, road map, brightness, brilliance, brilliancy, candor, dazzle, effulgence, lambency, lightness, luminance, luminosity, luminousness, luster, lustrousness, radiance, refulgence, splendor, blaze, flare, fluorescence, glare, gleam, glow, incandescence, light, luminescence, shine

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Illumination

Words with the opposite meaning of Illumination:

blackness, dark, darkness, dullness, duskiness

Related Words for Illumination

paraphrase, restatement, translation, annotation, comment, commentary, epexegesis, gloss, deciphering, decoding, disentanglement, unscrambling, analysis, edification, enlightenment, definition, meaning, demonstration, enactment, justification, rationale, rationalization, reasoning, caution, caveat, warning, flash, flicker, burnish, polish

Near Antonyms of Illumination

dimness, gloominess, somberness, cloudiness, haziness, murkiness, obscureness, obscurity, colorlessness, grayness, lackluster, paleness, shadiness, shadowiness, dusk, gloom, night, shadow

Origin & Etymology of Illumination

Middle English illumynacioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin illūminātiōn-, illūminātiō, going back to Latin, "illustriousness," from illūmināre "to give light to, illuminate:1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Illumination

What does "Illumination" mean?

"Illumination" means the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated. As a noun, it is defined as: the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Illumination"?

Other words for "Illumination" include clarification, construction, elucidation, exegesis, explanation, explication, exposition and illustration. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Illumination" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Illumination"?

There are 93 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Illumination". Common alternatives include clarification, construction, elucidation, exegesis, explanation, explication, exposition, illustration, interpretation and road map.

What is the opposite of "Illumination"?

Antonyms of "Illumination" include blackness, dark, darkness, dullness and duskiness. Near antonyms include dimness, gloominess, somberness and cloudiness.

How do you use "Illumination" in a sentence?

Examples of "Illumination" in a sentence: "the candidate's so-called illuminations of his views on a number of controversial issues left many voters in the dark"; "in that clime the illumination of the full moon on a clear night is so bright that you can practically read by it"; "a steady illumination from the flashlight was all I had while changing the tire".

Is "Illumination" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Illumination" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Illumination"?

"Illumination" is pronounced /i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnā-shən/ and divided into syllables as il·lu·mi·na·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Illumination"?

"Illumination" comes from Middle English illumynacioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin illūminātiōn-, illūminātiō, going back to Latin, "illustriousness," from illūmināre "to give light to, illuminate:1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action. First known use: 14th century.