illumination Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
    light.
    • follow God's light
  2. noun the degree of visibility of your environment
  3. noun an interpretation that removes obstacles to understanding
    elucidation; clarification.
    • the professor's clarification helped her to understand the textbook
  4. noun the luminous flux incident on a unit area
    illuminance.
  5. noun painting or drawing included in a book (especially in illuminated medieval manuscripts)
    miniature.

WordNet

Il*lu`mi*na"tion noun
Etymology
L. illuminatio: cf. F. illumination.
Definitions
  1. The act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.
  2. Festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.
  3. Adornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations. See Illuminate, v. t., 3.
  4. That which is illuminated, as a house; also, an ornamented book or manuscript.
  5. That which illuminates or gives light; brightness; splendor; especially, intellectual light or knowledge.
    The illumination which a bright genius giveth to his work. Felton.
  6. (Theol.) The special communication of knowledge to the mind by God; inspiration.
    Hymns and psalms . . . are framed by meditation beforehand, or by prophetical illumination are inspired. Hooker.

Webster 1913