illustration

noun il·lus·tra·tion \ ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən also i-ˌlə- \

Definition of illustration

1 a :the action of illustrating :the condition of being illustrated

b archaic :the action of making illustrious or honored or distinguished

2 :something that serves to illustrate: such as

a :an example or instance that helps make something clear

b :a picture or diagram that helps make something clear or attractive

—

illustrational

play \ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl also i-ˌlə-\ adjective

See illustration defined for English-language learners

See illustration defined for kids

Examples of illustration in a Sentence

The illustration on page 30 shows the parts of an engine.
a book with many photographs and illustrations
The illustrations that he provided in his speech were very effective.
They selected photographs to use for the illustration of the book.
Illustration is the key to good communication.

Recent Examples of illustration from the Web

The full community study, with maps, photos and illustrations, can be found here, but given the current circumstances, a short history is merited.

— doug herman, Smithsonian, "A Brief, 500-Year History of Guam," 16 Aug. 2017
Selena showed off the filter itself on the teaser video, which has an adorable peach illustration with the song's title on it, and perhaps some sped up vocals.

— brianna wiest, Teen Vogue, "Selena Gomez's "Fetish" Snapchat Filter Will Up Your Selfie Game," 11 Aug. 2017
In the first decades of the 20th century, as comic strips and magazine illustration became a big business, artists began migrating out of Manhattan for the comparatively rustic precincts of Westchester County.

— cullen murphy, vanityfair.com, "When Fairfield County Was the Comic-Strip Capital of the World," 3 Aug. 2017
This summer the brand will introduce three more limited-edition masks, packaged with illustrations of Sonic alongside fellow characters Tails and Knuckles.

— ingrid schmidt, Los Angeles Magazine, "How GlamGlow Spun Mud Into Gold," 14 July 2017
Those imports all came before Feb. 18, an illustration of how China has enforced sanctions, Huang said.

— Bloomberg.com, "China Says Imports From North Korea Fall as Sanctions Enforced," 13 July 2017
The brand's maximalist motifs and patterns will be heavily displayed, as seen by a sneak-peek illustration of the Chiavari chair, a Ligurian design crafted from wood with a lacquered red finish.

— melissa minton, Glamour, "Gucci Home Decor Is Coming," 12 July 2017
The high quality of the produce is made all the more lovely by the beautiful displays, often including vintage illustrations of the vegetables at hand.

— sylvie morgan brown, Bon Appetit, "A Weekender's Guide to Eating, Drinking, and Shopping in the Hudson Valley," 10 July 2017
To be sure, Valérian is lovable and credible even in his cartooniest illustrations, a straightforward male hero.

— gabrielle bellot, The Atlantic, "Science Fiction’s Under-Appreciated Feminist Icon," 8 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'illustration.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of illustration

14th century

illustration Synonyms

Synonyms

diagram, figure, graphic, plate, visual

Synonym Discussion of illustration

instance, case, illustration, example, sample, specimen mean something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category. instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

- an instance of history repeating itself

case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

- a case of mistaken identity

illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

- a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

- a typical example of bureaucratic waste

sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

- show us a sample of your work

specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

- one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

ILLUSTRATION Defined for Kids

illustration

noun il·lus·tra·tion \ ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən \

Definition of illustration for Students

1 :a picture or diagram that explains or decorates

The dictionary has color illustrations.

2 :an example or instance used to make something clear

The speech included illustrations of his successes.

3 :the action of illustrating :the condition of being illustrated

He finished the illustration of the book.

Learn More about illustration

See words that rhyme with illustration Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for illustration Spanish Central: Translation of illustration Nglish: Translation of illustration for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of illustration for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about illustration

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illustration

Definition of illustration

illustrational

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ILLUSTRATION Defined for Kids

illustration

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illustration

Definition of illustration

illustrational

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