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Origin and history of illustration

illustration(n.)

c. 1400, "a shining;" early 15c., "a manifestation;" mid-15c., "a spiritual illumination," from Old French illustration "apparition, appearance" (13c.) and directly from Latin illustrationem (nominative illustratio) "vivid representation" (in writing), literally "an enlightening," from past participle stem of illustrare "light up, make light, illuminate;" figuratively "make clear, disclose, explain; adorn, render distinguished," from assimilated form of in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + lustrare "make bright, illuminate," from suffixed form of PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness." Mental sense of "act of making clear in the mind" is from 1580s. Meaning "an illustrative picture" is from 1816.

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to illustration

illustrate(v.)

1520s, "light up, shed light on;" 1610s, "educate by means of examples," back-formation from illustration, and in some cases from Latin illustratus, past participle of illustrare "light up, make light, illuminate." Sense of "provide pictures to explain or decorate" is 1630s. Related: Illustrated; illustrating.

illustrative(adj.)

"tending to illustrate," 1640s, from illustrat-, past-participle stem of Latin illustrare (see illustration) + -ive.

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illustrious
1560s, "distinguished by greatness, renowned," from Latin illustris "lighted, bright, brilliant;" figuratively "distinguished, famous," probably a back-formation from illustrare "make light, light up, illuminate," figuratively "embellish, distinguish, make famous" (see illustrati
example
late 14c., "an instance typical of a class; a model, either good or bad, action or conduct as an object of imitation; an example to be avoided; punishment as a warning," partial re-Latinization of earlier essample, asaumple (mid-13c.), from Old French essemple "sample, model, exa
instance
late 14c., "urgency, insistence" (a sense now archaic), from Old French instance "effort, application; urgency, eagerness, anxiety" (13c.), from Latin instantia "presence, effort, intention; earnestness, urgency," literally "a standing near," from instans (see instant). In logic,
oxymoron
The word itself is an illustration of the thing. Now often used loosely to mean "contradiction in terms."...
frontispiece
Sense of "illustration facing a book's title page" first recorded 1680s....
muster
moustre, "action of showing, demonstration, manifestation, exhibition" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French mostre "illustration...
shadow
From late 14c. as "cast a shadow over" (literal and figurative), from early 15c. as "mark (in illustration, etc.) with slight...
quintessence
early 15c., quint-essence, in ancient philosophy and medieval alchemy, "a pure essence latent in all things, and the substance of which the heavenly bodies are composed," literally "fifth essence," from Old French quinte essence (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin quinta esse
representation
c. 1400, representacioun, "image, likeness symbolic memorial," from Old French representacion (14c.) and directly from Latin repraesentationem (nominative repraesentatio), "a bringing before one, a showing or exhibiting," noun of action from past-participle stem of repraesentare
representative
1580s, "serving to portray or symbolize," from French representatif (early 14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin repraesentativus, from stem of Latin repraesentare "show, exhibit, display" (see represent). Meaning "standing for others, acting as a substitute or agent for another"

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