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Origin and history of illuminate

illuminate(v.)

c. 1500, "to light up, shine on," a back-formation from illumination or else from Latin illuminatus, past participle of illuminare "light up, make light, illuminate." Earlier was enlumyen (late 14c.) "decorate written material by hand with gold, silver, or bright colors," from Old French enluminer, from Late Latin inluminare; also illumine (late 14c.). Related: Illuminated; illuminating; illuminable.

also from c. 1500

Entries linking to illuminate

illumination(n.)

late 14c., "spiritual enlightenment," from Late Latin illuminationem (nominative illuminatio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin illuminare "to throw into light, make bright, light up;" figuratively, in rhetoric, "to set off, illustrate," from assimilated form of in- "in, into" (from PIE root *en "in") + lumen (genitive luminis) "light," from suffixed form of PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness." Meaning "action of lighting" in English is from 1560s; sense of "intellectual enlightenment" is from 1630s.

illumine(v.)

late 14c., "to enlighten spiritually;" mid-15c., "to light up, shine light on," from Old French illuminer (13c.), from Latin illuminare "make bright, light up" (see illumination). Related: illumined.

luminate(v.)

"to light up, illuminate," 1620s (obsolete), from *luminatus, past participle of Late Latin luminare "to shine," from Latin lumen (genitive luminis) "light," from suffixed form of PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness." Illuminate now does the job. An older verb was lumine (late 14c.); a newer one is luminize (1958). Related: Luminated; luminating; lumination; luminator.

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    light
    "brightness, radiant energy, that which makes things visible," Old English leht (Anglian), leoht (West Saxon), "light, daylight; spiritual illumination," from Proto-Germanic *leukhtam (source also of Old Saxon lioht, Old Frisian liacht, Middle Dutch lucht, Dutch licht, Old High G
    clear
    c. 1300, "giving light, shining, luminous;" also "not turbid; transparent, allowing light to pass through; free from impurities; morally pure, guiltless, innocent;" of colors, "bright, pure;" of weather or the sky or sea, "not stormy; mild, fair, not overcast, fully light, free f
    enlighten
    late 14c., "to remove the dimness or blindness" (usually figurative, from one's eyes or heart); see en- (1) + lighten (v.2). From 1660s as "supply with intellectual light." Literal senses are later and less common in English: "put light in" is from 1580s; "shed light upon" is fro
    limn
    early 15c., "to illuminate" (manuscripts), altered from Middle English luminen, "to illuminate manuscripts" (late 14c.),...from Old French luminer "light up, illuminate," from Latin luminare "illuminate, burnish," from lumen (genitive luminis)...
    illustration
    representation" (in writing), literally "an enlightening," from past participle stem of illustrare "light up, make light, illuminate...explain; adorn, render distinguished," from assimilated form of in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + lustrare "make bright, illuminate...
    noctilucent
    These are the animals that illuminate the sea, like glow-worms, but with brighter splendor....I have taken up some of the water in a bucket, seen them for a short space illuminate it; but when I came to search for them...
    illuminati
    , plural of Latin illuminatus "enlightened" (in figurative sense), past participle of illuminare "light up, make light, illuminate...
    ornament
    c. 1200, ournement, "an accessory; something that serves primarily for use but also may serve as adornment; ornamental apparel, jewels," from Old French ornement "ornament, decoration," and directly from Latin ornamentum "apparatus, equipment, trappings; embellishment, decoration
    grace
    late 12c., "God's unmerited favor, love, or help," from Old French grace "pardon, divine grace, mercy; favor, thanks; elegance, virtue" (12c., Modern French grâce), from Latin gratia "favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, good will, gratitude" (source of Italian grazia, Spanis
    elucidate
    "make clear or manifest, throw light upon, explain, render intelligible," 1560s, perhaps via French élucider (15c.) or directly from Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidare "make light or clear," from assimilated form of ex "out, away" (see ex-) + lucidus "light, brig

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