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
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
Each bulb comes with eight high-efficiency LEDs and a powerful battery to provide up to 10 hours of illumination after just eight hours of sun exposure.
—
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2025
The book’s title is its governing metaphor: There are no moments of total illumination here, just a beam shining briefly on a target before scanning restlessly onward.
—Sam Worley, Vulture, 2 June 2025
The light wraps around your neck to provide hands-free illumination.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 26 May 2025
The city’s specialty lighting schedule includes red, white and blue illumination for Memorial Day.
—Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for illumination
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Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2025
The book’s title is its governing metaphor: There are no moments of total illumination here, just a beam shining briefly on a target before scanning restlessly onward.
—Sam Worley, Vulture, 2 June 2025
The light wraps around your neck to provide hands-free illumination.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 26 May 2025
The city’s specialty lighting schedule includes red, white and blue illumination for Memorial Day.
—Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for illumination
Cite this Entry
“Illumination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illumination. Accessed 19 Jun. 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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