illustre

I1L1L1U1S1T1R1E1

adjective

Synonym of illustrious.

Similar
illustrious
OriginMiddle French illustre ← Latin illūstris →
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Meanings

illustre1

adjectiveillustre (comparative more illustre, superlative most illustre)

comparative more illustre · superlative most illustre

  1. obsoleteSynonym of illustrious.

    Synonyms: illustrious

illustre2

verbillustre (third-person singular simple present illustres, present participle illustring, simple past and past participle illustred)

present singular third person illustres · participle present illustring · participle past illustred · past illustred

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo illuminate (something).

    But, as the Phœnix on my Front doth gliſter, / Thou ſhalt the Finials of my Frame illuſtre.

    1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First Week, or Birth of the World: […].] The Fift Daie of the First Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 140
  2. obsoletetransitiveTo make (someone) illustrious.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveSynonym of illustrious.

Similar
illustrious

Origin

illustre · adjective

  1. Latinillūstris“bright, shining, brilliant, lustrous; clear, lucid; illustrious, distinguished, famous”
  2. Middle Frenchillustre
  3. Englishillustre

From Middle French illustre (French illustre), from Latin illūstris (“bright, shining, brilliant, lustrous; clear, lucid; illustrious, distinguished, famous”), from illūstrō (“to illustrate”).

More words from Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

illustre · verb

  1. Latinillūstrāre“to illustrate”
  2. Middle Frenchillustrer
  3. Middle Englishillustren
  4. Englishillustre

From Middle English illustren, from Middle French illustrer (French illustrer), from Latin illūstrāre (“to illustrate”).

More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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