illustrious

adjective

il·​lus·​tri·​ous i-ˈlə-strē-əs How to pronounce illustrious (audio)
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

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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.

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 With its illustrious reputation hanging in the balance, the boarding school begins a sweeping public relations campaign that includes cobbling together a two-person Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team more interested in inclusive visuals than actual change. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 The Sideways star instead offered his illustrious peers a forum to chop it up for an hour or so about subjects that rarely come up during press junkets. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Nat and Alex's parents are creatives themselves Their father, Michael, is an accomplished jazz pianist and composer who has performed with over two dozen symphonies throughout his illustrious career, according to his website. Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Piper Cillian Vallely hails from an illustrious musical clan, and Kevin Crawford is widely recognized as one of Ireland’s finest flutists. Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Regulars might warn you about Joe T.’s illustrious margaritas: Ordering one doesn’t feel like quite enough, getting two is just right, and three will most likely be too many. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 Here's a look at Velez's illustrious, evocative and sometimes provocative career — what the young designer and her mom have sacrificed for it, including Velez's childhood home, and the LVMH Prize. Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 Related article Opinion: Jason Kelce gave all of us a master class in American manhood How a father can affect a son So many people now know that Jason Kelce is an all-pro center who had an illustrious 13-year career. Shannon Carpenter, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Those in this illustrious group have also seen their net worth climb higher in the past year, with the AI boom helping the world’s richest add $150 billion to their portfolios. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'illustrious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin illustris, probably from illustrare

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of illustrious was in 1588

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Dictionary Entries Near illustrious

Cite this Entry

“Illustrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illustrious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

illustrious

adjective
il·​lus·​tri·​ous il-ˈəs-trē-əs How to pronounce illustrious (audio)
: very outstanding : eminent
illustriously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on illustrious

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