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enlighten

[ en-lahyt-n ]
/ ɛnˈlaɪt n /
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See synonyms for: enlighten / enlightened / enlightening / enlightens on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
to give intellectual or spiritual light to; instruct; impart knowledge to: We hope the results of our research will enlighten our colleagues.
Archaic. to shed light upon.
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Origin of enlighten

First recorded in 1350–1400, enlighten is from the Middle English word enli(g)htenen.See en-1, lighten1

OTHER WORDS FROM enlighten

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use enlighten in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for enlighten

enlighten
/ (ɪnˈlaɪtən) /

verb (tr)
to give information or understanding to; instruct; edify
to free from ignorance, prejudice, or superstition
to give spiritual or religious revelation to
poetic to shed light on

Derived forms of enlighten

enlightener, nounenlightening, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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