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• enlightenment
  enlightenment

  noun

  the act of enlightening.
• Enlightenment
  Enlightenment

  noun

  an 18th-century philosophical movement stressing the importance of reason and the critical reappraisal of existing ideas and social institutions

enlightenment

American  

[en-lahyt-n-muhnt] / ɛnˈlaɪt n mənt /

noun

1. the act of enlightening.

2. the state of being enlightened.

   to live in spiritual enlightenment.

3. (usually initial capital letter) prajna.

4. the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement of the 18th century, characterized by belief in the power of human reason and by innovations in political, religious, and educational doctrine.

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Enlightenment ¹ British  

/ ɪnˈlaɪtənmənt /

noun

1. an 18th-century philosophical movement stressing the importance of reason and the critical reappraisal of existing ideas and social institutions

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enlightenment ² British  

/ ɪnˈlaɪtənmənt /

noun

1. the act or means of enlightening or the state of being enlightened

2. Buddhism the awakening to ultimate truth by which man is freed from the endless cycle of personal reincarnations to which all men are otherwise subject

3. Hinduism a state of transcendent divine experience represented by Vishnu: regarded as a goal of all religion

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Enlightenment Cultural  

1. An intellectual movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries marked by a celebration of the powers of human reason, a keen interest in science, the promotion of religious toleration, and a desire to construct governments free of tyranny. Some of the major figures of the Enlightenment were David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Locke, the Baron de Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire.

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Other Word Forms

• preenlightenment
  noun
• reenlightenment
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of enlightenment

First recorded in 1660–70; enlighten + -ment

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Explanation

Enlightenment is education or awareness that brings change, such as your enlightenment about nutrition that leads you to throw out every last bit of your family's junk food. In Hinduism and Buddhism, enlightenment is also sometimes called "awakening" — after all, the name "Buddha" means "the awakened one." Not all enlightenments are spiritual: your enlightenment about environmental issues, for example, can awaken you to new ways of conserving resources like water and electricity. The Enlightenment started in the 1700s, a historical era defined by a focus on reason and science.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

enlightenment Enlightenment

“If there’s anything tumultuous happening now . . . I wouldn’t know, I haven’t been paying attention,” she jokes, “just remember that historically, an enlightenment of epic proportions is probably not far off.”

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

We don’t know precisely what the road will bring, except history, scenery, good food, camaraderie, hospitality and enlightenment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

“Who Is The Sky?,” which Byrne made with the producer Kid Harpoon, contrasts deep lyrics about art, home and enlightenment with bright pop arrangements filled with crisp grooves and singalong melodies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

It takes souls many incarnations to attain enlightenment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Instead, they have a bundle of energy, and that bundle of energy is transitory, migrating from one body to another, reincarnating endlessly until it eventually reaches enlightenment.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Mr. Wegman devotes great effort to describing how Wilson’s ideas were informed by the Scottish Enlightenment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Though Enlightenment philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau worked to rehabilitate their reputation, cats would continue to attract public ire through the 18th century.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Smith and his friend David Hume, the great irreligious Edinburgh philosopher, were among the leading lights in the Scottish Enlightenment of the late 18th century.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Many of these ideas can be traced back to the controversial thinker and tech founder Curtis Yarvin, who has been called the "founder of the Dark Enlightenment".

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

It turned out we were both drawn to the same Enlightenment thinker, David Hume.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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Related Words

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