illustrative

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UK/ɪˈlʌs.tɹə.tɪv/UK/ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪ.tɪv/Canada, US[ɪˈlʌs.tɹə.ɾɪv]Canada, US[ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪ.ɾɪv]

adjective

Demonstrative, exemplative, showing an example or demonstrating.

“This latest incident is illustrative of his continued bad behavior.”

Similar
exemplifyinginformativeinformatorydemonstrativeinstructive
OriginEnglish illustrate ← Middle French illustration ← Latin illūstrātiō →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

adjective
  1. Demonstrative, exemplative, showing an example or demonstrating.

    This latest incident is illustrative of his continued bad behavior.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveclarifying by use of examples

Similar
exemplifyinginformativeinformatory

adjectiveserving to demonstrate

Similar
demonstrativeinstructiveinformative
Also see
demonstrativeemblematicexemplativeinformativeinformatoryinstructive

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Latinlūstrō
  6. Latinillūstrō
  7. Latinillūstrātiō
  8. Middle Frenchillustration
  9. Englishillustrationbf.
  10. Englishillustrate
  11. Englishillustrative

From illustrate + -ive.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

illustrative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illustrative

MLA

“illustrative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illustrative. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “illustrative,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illustrative.

Source: illustrative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.