Definition of illumination
1 : the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated: such asa : spiritual or intellectual enlightenmentb (1) : a lighting up (2) : decorative lighting or lighting effectsc : 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
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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 of illumination from the Web
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As daylight nearly disappears, street lights and car headlights provide a helpful bit of illumination.
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Many oceanographers hail the project as an illumination of a geological and biological world that is long overdue.
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This process works because the collagen in the parchment fluoresces a soft blue color under near-ultraviolet illumination.
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Give your cheekbones an opalescent sheen by dabbing it atop them, add it to your foundation for peak illumination, or slather it all over on a no-makeup day.
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The wind in the trees is the only sound, the moon the only illumination.
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The only illumination was a single floodlight mounted on a tall pole and a cloud insects was swarming around it in the summer heat.
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Each image in the book offers a single moment in time, a stand-alone enigma, accompanied by a brief block of text on the facing page, naming its location and offering further illumination.
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Fans witness his illuminations at all Insomniac's major festivals and events, including Nocturnal and the most recent addition of the Middlelands main stage.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'illumination.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of illumination
14th century
ILLUMINATION Defined for English Language Learners
illumination
playDefinition of illumination for English Language Learners
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: light that comes into a room, that shines on something, etc.
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: knowledge or understanding
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: a gold or colored decoration in an old book
ILLUMINATION Defined for Kids
illumination
playDefinition of illumination for Students
: the action of lighting something : the state of being lighted
Medical Dictionary
illumination
playMedical Definition of illumination
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
Learn More about illumination
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See words that rhyme with illumination Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for illumination Spanish Central: Translation of illumination Nglish: Translation of illumination for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of illumination for Arabic speakers
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