illumination
noun
il·lu·mi·na·tion
i-ˌlü-mə-ˈnā-shən 
1
: the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated: such as
a
: spiritual or intellectual enlightenment
b(1)
: a lighting up
(2)
: decorative lighting or lighting effects
c
: 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
Synonyms
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 on the Web
The first full moon of the new year will reach peak illumination at 2:26 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13, in California, according to Time and Date, an online calendar.
—
Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 11 Jan. 2025
And a 1,300-lumen dual-beam headlight plus a braking tail-light with turn signaling ensures daylight visibility and night-time illumination.
—New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2025
Through countless negotiations and purchases since then, the Times Square ball evolved, varying in weight, size and illumination.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Few innovators achieve the intensity and scope of innovation that Nikola Tesla did, but innovators like Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Steve Jobs talk freely of the role of intuition in their breakthroughs, especially in the illumination and verification stages.
—Hulan Hagen, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for illumination 
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Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 11 Jan. 2025
And a 1,300-lumen dual-beam headlight plus a braking tail-light with turn signaling ensures daylight visibility and night-time illumination.
—New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2025
Through countless negotiations and purchases since then, the Times Square ball evolved, varying in weight, size and illumination.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Few innovators achieve the intensity and scope of innovation that Nikola Tesla did, but innovators like Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Steve Jobs talk freely of the role of intuition in their breakthroughs, especially in the illumination and verification stages.
—Hulan Hagen, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for illumination
Articles Related to illumination
Dictionary Entries Near illumination
Cite this Entry
“Illumination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illumination. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
illumination
noun
il·lu·mi·na·tion
il-ˌü-mə-ˈnā-shən
1
a
: the action of illuminating or state of being illuminated
b
: amount of light
2
: gold or colored decoration in a manuscript
Medical Definition
illumination
noun
il·lu·mi·na·tion
il-ˌü-mə-ˈnā-shən
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
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