illustration

American  

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

noun

• illustrations
  plural

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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Synonym Usage

See case ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• illustrations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of illustration

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

Explanation

When the written instructions get tough, look for an illustration — a picture — to figure out what to do. Assembling furniture? Numbered diagrams and other illustrations can help you avoid the dreaded pile of "leftover" pieces. An illustration can also be a helpful example that isn't visual at all. A coworker who comes to work with a terrible cold and gives it to the whole office is an illustration of what happens when a boss discourages the use of sick days. You hope that the boss isn't an illustration of management at that company! If so, maybe these workers do need a visual: an illustration that shows hand-washing techniques and other ways to avoid germs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

illustration illustrations

The brain's microscopic wiring may need a different kind of textbook illustration.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

It displays the type of images that fascinated him in his youth and shaped his approach to filmmaking: chiefly graphic art, illustration, magazine covers and comic strips.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

This illustration shows what this family’s budget might look like if they auto-invest 15% in retirement plans.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

Each illustration features something with a motor or an alien creature that qualifies as transport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

The manner in which the Farewell Address was actually composed, as it turned out, served as a nearly perfect illustration of its central message—the need to subordinate narrow interests to the larger cause.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

It’s a valuable history lesson in echoes and dignity, one of the film’s more moving illustrations of the legacy of demonstrating for what’s right.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

But it goes even further with deluxe editions that have custom illustrations or come packaged in rare or unexpected materials—including wooden planks from a ship John Steinbeck once sailed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

The 300,000-square-foot Lucas Museum of Narrative Art contains 100,000 square feet of gallery space with 35 galleries organized according to theme, including adventure, motherhood, community, children’s illustrations, manga and comics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Ironically, the very thing that Mark felt he needed to fulfill his dream – a large, admiring audience for his illustrations – began to feel like a prison.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

Sophisticated printed illustrations based on perspective drawings thus turned anatomy into a progressive science, where each generation of anatomists was able to identify mistakes and oversights in the work of their predecessors.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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