illustrious
adjective
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of illustrious in a Sentence
Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2025
All honorees are scheduled to attend screenings and participate in conversations highlighting their performances and illustrious careers.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
In any case, Ian Kinsler joins the illustrious one and done club.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Over on the daytime circuit, Mario and Abbott Elementary’s Janelle James joined Jennifer Hudson, and Jon Batiste unveiled his new jazz club in The Bahamas, adding another milestone to his illustrious career.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Jan. 2025
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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 30 Jan. 2025.
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illustrious
adjective
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