Meaning & use
illumination
The light that makes something visible, or a deep insight or understanding gained about something.
See it in a sentence
The museum's new lighting system provides better illumination for the ancient manuscripts.
Reading her journal gave me sudden illumination about the choices she had made.
A note on using this word
Illumination works both literally, for physical light, and figuratively, for a moment of understanding or clarity.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
Decorative painting or lettering, especially gold leaf and colors, used to embellish a medieval manuscript.
The monks spent years adding illumination to the borders of the sacred text.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “illumination”, then compare your use with the examples above.