Word meaning

illuminate

verb · ih-LOO-mih-nayt

What does illuminate mean?

Illuminate means to light up; to help clarify or explain.

Illuminate in a sentence

“The study illuminates how sleep affects memory.”

Synonyms for illuminate

  • light up
  • clarify
  • shed light on

Where does illuminate come from?

From Latin lumen, "light."

How to remember illuminate

  • Say it out loud a few times: ih-LOO-mih-nayt.
  • Write one sentence of your own using illuminate, about something that happened to you today.
  • Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.

More words worth knowing

  • novice — a person new to or inexperienced in a field or situation.
  • credulous — having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.
  • diatribe — a forceful and bitter verbal attack.
  • tantalize — to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something unobtainable.
  • succinct — briefly and clearly expressed.
  • eminent — famous and respected within a particular field.

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