Meanings
nounillumination (countable and uncountable, plural illuminations)
plural illuminations
- countableuncountableThe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.
The room was filled with soft illumination from the candles.
1 more example
The people hereabouts, sir, would seem to dispense with street illumination, and it is very dark tonight.
1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados MysteriesSynonyms: lightness
- countableuncountableFestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.
- countableuncountableAdornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations. See illuminate (transitive verb).
- countablefigurativelyuncountableSplendour; brightness.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableEnlightening influence; inspiration.
The philosopher’s work gave intellectual illumination to many.
1 more example
That early dawn of distinct consciousness corresponded to the period of belief in Magic. In that first mystic illumination almost every object was invested with a halo of mystery or terror or adoration.
1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 79
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.
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More synonyms by meaning
nounan interpretation that removes obstacles to understanding
Similar
Broader
nounthe luminous flux incident on a unit area
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Broader
nounpainting or drawing included in a book (especially in illuminated medieval manuscripts)
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Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
- Proto-Italic*en
- Proto-Italic*en-
- Latinin-
- Proto-Indo-European*lewk-
- Proto-Indo-European*léwksmn̥
- Proto-Italic*louksmən
- Latinlūmen
- Latinlūminō
- Latinillūminō
- Late Latinillūminātiō
- Middle Frenchillumination
- Englishillumination
Borrowed from Middle French illumination, from Late Latin illūminātiō, from Latin illumino. Equivalent to illuminate + -ion.
More words from Middle French, Late Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic إِضَاءَة
- إِضَاءَة (ʔiḍāʔa)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Bulgarian осветле́ние, осветя́ване
- осветле́ние (osvetlénie)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- осветя́ване (osvetjávane)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- светли́нна укра́са (svetlínna ukrása)festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
- илюстра́ции (iljustrácii)adornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations
Chinese Mandarin 照明
- 照明 (zhàomíng)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Czech osvětlení, iluminace
- osvětleníthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminacethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Dutch verlichting
- verlichtingthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Esperanto iluminado
- iluminadothe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Finnish valaistus, valaiseminen
- valaistusthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- valaiseminenthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- juhlavalaistusfestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
French illumination, enluminure
- illuminationthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- enluminureadornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations
German Beleuchtung
- Beleuchtungthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Greek φωτισμός
- φωτισμός (fotismós)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Hebrew תְּאוּרָה
- תְּאוּרָה (t'urá)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Hindi दीप्ति, रोशनी
- दीप्ति (dīpti)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- रोशनी (rośnī)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Hungarian megvilágítás, kivilágítás
- megvilágításthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- kivilágításfestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
Indonesian iluminasi, penyinaran
- iluminasithe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- penyinaranthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminasiadornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations
Irish soilsiú, soilsiú
- soilsiúthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- soilsiúfestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
Italian illuminazione, luminaria
- illuminazionethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- luminariafestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
Japanese 照明, イルミネーション
- 照明 (shōmei)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- イルミネーション (iruminēshon)festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
- ライトアップ (raito appu)festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
Korean 조명
- 조명 (jomyeong)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Malay pencahayaan
- pencahayaanthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Māori tūramatanga
- tūramatangathe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Polish oświetlenie, iluminacja
- oświetleniethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminacjathe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Portuguese iluminação, iluminura
- iluminaçãothe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminuraadornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations
Romanian iluminație, iluminare
- iluminațiethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminarethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Russian освеще́ние, иллюмина́ция
- освеще́ние (osveščénije)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- иллюмина́ция (illjuminácija)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- иллюмина́ция (illjuminácija)festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
Scottish Gaelic soilleireachadh
- soilleireachadhthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Slovak osvetlenie, iluminácia
- osvetleniethe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- ilumináciathe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Spanish iluminación, iluminación
- iluminaciónthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- iluminaciónfestive decoration of houses or buildings with lights
- ilustraciónadornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations
Turkish aydınlatma
- aydınlatmathe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Ukrainian осві́тлення, ілюміна́ція
- осві́тлення (osvítlennja)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
- ілюміна́ція (iljuminácija)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Urdu روشْنی
- روشْنی (rośnī)the act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Vietnamese bôi lên
- bôi lênthe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with illumination
informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
illumination. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illumination
MLA
“illumination.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illumination. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “illumination,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illumination.
Source: illumination on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.