illustration

[ il-uh-strey-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: illustrationillustrations on Thesaurus.com

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

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

  1. the act or process of illuminating.

  2. the act of clarifying or explaining; elucidation.

  3. Archaic. illustriousness; distinction.

Origin of illustration

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin illustrātiōn- (stem of illustrātiō ) “the act of making vivid, illustrating”; see illustrate, -ion

synonym study For illustration

2. See case1.

Other words for illustration

Other words from illustration

  • non·il·lus·tra·tion, noun
  • o·ver·il·lus·tra·tion, noun
  • pre·il·lus·tra·tion, noun
  • re·il·lus·tra·tion, noun
  • su·per·il·lus·tra·tion, noun

Words Nearby illustration

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use illustration in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for illustration

illustration

/ (ˌɪləˈstreɪʃən) /


noun
  1. pictorial matter used to explain or decorate a text

  2. an example or demonstration: an illustration of his ability

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

Derived forms of illustration

  • illustrational, 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