illustration

American  

[il-uh-strey-shuhn] / ˌɪl əˈstreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. something that illustrates, as a picture in a book or magazine.

2. a comparison or an example intended for explanation or corroboration.

   Synonyms:

   explication

3. the act or process of illuminating.

4. the act of clarifying or explaining; elucidation.

5. Archaic. illustriousness; distinction.

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illustration British  

/ ˌɪləˈstreɪʃən /

noun

1. pictorial matter used to explain or decorate a text

2. an example or demonstration

   an illustration of his ability

3. the act of illustrating or the state of being illustrated

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Related Words

See case ¹.

Other Word Forms

• illustrational adjective
• nonillustration noun
• overillustration noun
• preillustration noun
• reillustration noun
• superillustration noun

Etymology

Origin of illustration

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin illustrātiōn- (stem of illustrātiō ) “the act of making vivid, illustrating”; illustrate, -ion

Example Sentences

For cryptocurrency funds, though, the quarter was a textbook illustration of the dangers of too much leverage.

From Barron's

Here is Melville’s literary leviathan fantastically adorned with more than 270 of Kent’s black-and-white illustrations, many of them a full page in size.

From The Wall Street Journal

"This work is a good illustration of how our knowledge of the solid Earth enhances our ability to understand the climate system," says Ajourlou.

From Science Daily

We learn that Renoir’s scenes of contemporary life often served as illustrations for books and periodicals, and discover the influence of the requirements of reproduction on his technique.

From The Wall Street Journal

An illustration featuring trees will replace a lion rampant holding a saltire flag.

From BBC

Related Words

• cartoon
• decoration
• depiction
• engraving
• etching
• image
• painting
• photo
• photograph
• picture
• sketch
• snapshot
• vignette