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

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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

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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

On its coal-dust-begrimed surface, Eugene O’Neill’s 1922 play “The Hairy Ape” is a stark, dramatically propulsive illustration of how brutal, underpaid manual labor can dehumanize and destroy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

It was a rare moment of precision in front of goal, another illustration that despite their issues in scoring goals, Scotland have a promising array of strikers these days.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

The market’s bounce from its October low is therefore a classic illustration of contrarian analysis.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

“Merely to the illustration of your character,” said she, endeavouring to shake off her gravity.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

But from “Baywatch” to this summer’s “Masters of the Universe,” we’ve endured plenty of painful illustrations of the trend’s downside: If what you’re rebooting is so bad, why make us sit through it?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

“This is a museum of the ‘people’s art’ — the images are illustrations of the beliefs we live with every day,” said Hobson, “and for that reason, this art belongs to everyone.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Like most made-for-TV illustrations, these fantasies didn’t reflect life for most people, and certainly not working-class families with two working parents.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

Give the book points, though, for including Ms. Korsgaard’s brilliantly colored illustrations of the butterflies she encountered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The illustrations were gorgeous, even though the pages were faded and torn.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

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Related Words

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

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