enlighten

[ en-lahyt-n ]
/ ɛnˈlaɪt n /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR enlighten 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.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
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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

Words nearby enlighten

enl., enlace, enlarge, enlargement, enlarger, enlighten, enlightened, enlightenment, enlil, enlist, enlisted man
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to enlightened

open-minded, literate, sophisticated, civilized, reasonable, knowledgeable, liberal, cultivated, savvy, sharp, learned, refined, aware, broad-minded

Example sentences from the Web for enlightened

British Dictionary definitions for enlightened (1 of 2)

enlightened
/ (ɪnˈlaɪtənd) /

adjective

factually well-informed, tolerant of alternative opinions, and guided by rational thoughtan enlightened administration; enlightened self-interest
privy to or claiming a sense of spiritual or religious revelation of truththe search for an enlightened spiritual master

British Dictionary definitions for enlightened (2 of 2)

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