illumination

noun

il·​lu·​mi·​na·​tion i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated: such as

a

: spiritual or intellectual enlightenment

b(1)

: a lighting up

(2)

: decorative lighting or lighting effects

c

: decoration by the art of illuminating

2

: the luminous flux per unit area on an intercepting surface at any given point

3

: one of the decorative features used in the art of illuminating or in decorative lighting

Synonyms

• clarification
• construction
• elucidation
• exegesis
• explanation
• explication
• exposition
• illustration
• interpretation
• road map

Examples of illumination in a Sentence

When taking photographs indoors, use a flash for illumination.

They traveled to the temple in search of spiritual illumination.

an old manuscript with beautiful illuminations

Recent Examples on the Web

The only illumination was what passed through the corridor from the courtyard, a wedge of cold, muted light on the cement floor. —Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024

Researchers reduced the film’s illumination and superimposed a gray box on the projection area, obscuring the movie. —Simon Makin, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2024

Eventually, such panels will migrate from light fixtures to smart fabric on the ceiling, resulting in more diffuse illumination that allows for near-infinite options across the color spectrum. —Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2024

Related article Next solar eclipse: When and where to view the celestial event Upcoming celestial events The next full moon, which peaks on October 17, could interfere with comet viewing, as its illumination hampers the visibility of other objects in the night sky. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

illumination

noun

il·​lu·​mi·​na·​tion il-ˌü-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

a

: the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated

b

: amount of light

2

: gold or colored decoration in a manuscript

Medical Definition

illumination

noun

il·​lu·​mi·​na·​tion il-ˌü-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the action of supplying or brightening with light or the resulting state

2

: the luminous flux per unit area on an intercepting surface at any given point

called also illuminance

illuminate

il-ˈü-mə-ˌnāt 

transitive verb

illuminated; illuminating