illustrious

adjective

il·​lus·​tri·​ous i-ˈlə-strē-əs 

1

: notably or brilliantly outstanding because of dignity or achievements or actions : eminent

2

archaic

a

: shining brightly with light

b

: clearly evident

illustriously adverb

illustriousness noun

Did you know?

Today’s spotlight is on illustrious, from the Latin adjective illustris, meaning "shining brightly with light." Illustris itself was probably a back-formation of the Latin verb illustrare, a word with varied meanings, among them "to light up," "to make clear," and "to embellish." (Our word illustrate also comes from illustrare, of course; its original meaning was "to enlighten intellectually, culturally, or spiritually.") At one time, illustrious could be used synonymously with its immediate Latin forbear to describe things that glow brightly, but that meaning is now considered archaic. The word today is almost exclusively used to describe something—such as a career or achievement—that stands out figuratively, shining brilliantly in the mind's eye.

Synonyms

• astral
• bright
• distinguished
• eminent
• luminous
• noble
• notable
• noteworthy
• outstanding
• preeminent
• prestigious
• redoubtable
• signal
• star
• superior

Choose the Right Synonym for illustrious

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of illustrious in a Sentence

He has had an illustrious military career.

an illustrious physicist who is a sure bet for a Nobel Prize

Recent Examples on the Web

For the first time in her illustrious career, Nicki Minaj headlined a Milwaukee concert Saturday. —Journal Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2024

On Saturday, Perez added to his illustrious Royals career. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2024

Now, in his 26th Masters, Woods is not only competing for the illustrious green jacket and large sum of money but to show that his talent can outshine his ailments. —Juliana Kim, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024

Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola were married for 61 years, with Eleanor accompanying her husband on many of his film shoots throughout his illustrious career. —Dan Heching, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024

Despite an illustrious career in film spanning nearly 50 years, Dennis Quaid still gets nervous about approaching certain roles. —Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024

Indeed, the guest list includes illustrious executives from various industries—and notably some who rarely offer public interviews, let alone one-off podcast episodes. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 11 Apr. 2024

Now, Sean’s upstart is rivaling its illustrious progenitor for political influence. —TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

Some cities have made the most of mineral springs, building reputations as illustrious centers for spas. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin illustris, probably from illustrare

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

illustrious

adjective

il·​lus·​tri·​ous il-ˈəs-trē-əs 

: very outstanding : eminent

illustriously adverb