Main Entry: il·lu·mi·na·ti

Pronunciation: \i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnä-tē\

Function: noun plural

Etymology: Italian & New Latin; Italian, from New Latin, from Latin, plural of illuminatus

Date: 1599

1 capitalized : any of various groups claiming special religious enlightenment
2 : persons who are or who claim to be unusually enlightened
3 : elite 1d <members of the academic illuminati>