illustrative

[ih-luhs-truh-tiv, il-uh-strey-tiv]

adjective

1. serving to illustrate; explanatory.

   illustrative examples.

Other Word Forms

• illustratively adverb
• nonillustrative adjective
• nonillustratively adverb
• overillustrative adjective
• overillustratively adverb
• self-illustrative adjective
• unillustrative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of illustrative¹

First recorded in 1635–45; illustrate + -ive

Example Sentences

The commission concluded that an analysis of the betting data was not "illustrative of a spot-fix" and added it was "in many respects inconsistent with a spot-fix, but consistent with alternative explanations".

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A recent party attended by almost all of the squad was illustrative of their bond.

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Culture often holds a mirror up to politics and what has been playing out at Glastonbury is illustrative of the wider, heated debate raging across the country about what's taking place in Gaza.

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The primary is the main character print, which is more complex and illustrative.

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On its social media posts showing people being escorted onto planes, it says these are illustrative and the public will understand that ways of offenders leaving the country will vary considerably.

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Related Words

• descriptive 
• emblematic 
• figurative 
• revealing