ILLUMINATION

miniature, illumination

(noun) painting or drawing included in a book (especially in illuminated medieval manuscripts)

illuminance, illumination

(noun) the luminous flux incident on a unit area

clarification, elucidation, illumination

(noun) an interpretation that removes obstacles to understanding; “the professor’s clarification helped her to understand the textbook”

illumination

(noun) the degree of visibility of your environment

light, illumination

(noun) a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination; “follow God’s light”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

illumination (countable and uncountable, plural illuminations)

The act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.

Festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.

Adornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations. See illuminate (transitive verb).

(figurative) Splendour; brightness.

(figurative) Enlightening influence; inspiration.

Synonyms

• lumination (rare)

Source: Wiktionary


Il*lu`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. illuminatio: cf. F. illumination.]

1. The act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.

2. Festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.

3. Adornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations. See Illuminate, v. t., 3.

4. That which is illuminated, as a house; also, an ornamented book or manuscript.

5. That which illuminates or gives light; brightness; splendor; especially, intellectual light or knowledge. The illumination which a bright genius giveth to his work. Felton.

6. (Theol.)

Definition: The special communication of knowledge to the mind by God; inspiration. Hymns and psalms . . . are framed by meditation beforehand, or by prophetical illumination are inspired. Hooker.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

14 March 2025

PARASITISM

(noun) the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage)


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Coffee Trivia

In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.

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