illumination

noun

il·​lu·​mi·​na·​tion i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce illumination (audio)
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

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
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.
The full moon reaches peak illumination at 2:55 a.m. ET on Friday, March 14. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025 While the eclipse will last from 1:47 a.m. EDT to 4:10 a.m. EDT Friday morning, March’s full moon reaches peak illumination at 2:55 a.m. EDT on Friday, the Old Farmer's Almanac said. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025 Courtesy of Cathay Pacific Most impressive is the in-seat tech, especially the fully customizable illumination options across six unique light sources. Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 26 Feb. 2025 To facilitate use in low-light conditions, dive watches are also equipped with backlit faces, luminescent hands, and other illumination details. Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illumination

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of illumination was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illumination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illumination. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

illumination

noun
il·​lu·​mi·​na·​tion il-ˌü-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce illumination (audio)
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 How to pronounce illumination (audio)
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 transitive verb
illuminated; illuminating

More from Merriam-Webster on illumination

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