luminary

noun

lu·​mi·​nary ˈlü-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce luminary (audio)
plural luminaries
1
: a person of prominence or brilliant achievement
a literary luminary
a luminary in the medical profession
2
: a body that gives light
especially : one of the celestial bodies
skywatchers … will see one more bright luminary below Orion and Canis Major Martin Ratcliffe
luminary adjective

Did you know?

As, dare we say, leading lights of the dictionary game, we're here to brighten your day with the 411 on luminary. This word has been casting its glow in English since the 15th century, and it traces back to the Latin word lumen, meaning "light." Other lumen descendants in English include illuminate ("to light up"), luminous ("emitting light"), phillumenist ("one who collects matchbooks or matchbox labels"), and bioluminescence ("the emission of light from living organisms").

Examples of luminary in a Sentence

luminaries of the art world awed by the vast number of luminaries in the night sky
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With luminaries like Josef Albers, Charles Eames, and Louis Kahn among its early participants, IDCA quickly established itself as a hub for high-profile discussions on design and business. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Feb. 2025 Founded in 1927 by Elsa Schiaparelli, the maison is celebrated for its daring collaborations with luminaries such as Salvador Dalí, transforming fashion into a surrealist art form. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 17 Feb. 2025 The special brought back luminaries like Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Robert De Niro and Scarlett Johansson. Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 16 Feb. 2025 Additionally, Warriors luminaries Chris Mullin, Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Jason Richardson are either coaching or judging the events. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for luminary

Word History

Etymology

Middle English luminarye "lamp, source of spiritual light," borrowed from Anglo-French luminarie, luminaire "celestial body, source of light, important person, lamp, candle." borrowed from Late Latin lūmināria, plural (later taken as feminine singular) of lūmināre "opening to let in light, source of light, lamp, torch, heavenly body, important person," from Latin lūmin-, lūmen "light, source of light, opening to let in light" + -ar, -āre, variant (after stems with an l) of -al, -āle, nominalized forms of -ālis -al entry 1 — more at lumen

Note: The earliest Anglo-French attestations, luminaries and luminaires in the Oxford and Cambridge Psalters, are also the earliest French attestations from any source. The vernacular outcome of lūmināria is lumière, which co-occurs in an early text (Chrétien de Troyes, Cligés) with luminaire, though the latter is found just once. — The Latin word lūmināre is attested once in the classical language, in Cato's De agri cultura 14.2. The Oxford Latin Dictionary translates it as "lamp," though the context, a list of items needed to construct and furnish a farm building, suggests that lūmināria have some relationship to windows.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of luminary was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Luminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luminary. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

luminary

noun
lu·​mi·​nary ˈlü-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce luminary (audio)
plural luminaries
1
: a very famous person
2
: a source of light
especially : one of the heavenly bodies
luminary adjective

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