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
August's full moon will reach peak illumination at 4:55 a.m. Central Time.
—
Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 31 July 2025
Peak illumination marks the moment when the full moon is perfectly opposite the sun in the sky, reaching its maximum brightness.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Our new headlights feature the latest illumination technology yet were born of a desire to address a more traditional and balanced frontal proportion.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Unlike some products that promise glow-in-the-dark illumination that barely shows, our testers found that the Takeya Actives Kids Water Bottle fully delivered on its promise.
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for illumination
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Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 31 July 2025
Peak illumination marks the moment when the full moon is perfectly opposite the sun in the sky, reaching its maximum brightness.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Our new headlights feature the latest illumination technology yet were born of a desire to address a more traditional and balanced frontal proportion.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Unlike some products that promise glow-in-the-dark illumination that barely shows, our testers found that the Takeya Actives Kids Water Bottle fully delivered on its promise.
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 18 July 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 6 Aug. 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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