illustrious

[ih-luhs-tree-uh s]

See more synonyms for illustrious on Thesaurus.com

adjective

highly distinguished; renowned; famous: an illustrious leader.
glorious, as deeds or works: many illustrious achievements.
Obsolete. luminous; bright.

Origin of illustrious

1560–70; < Latin illustri(s) bright, clear, famous (equivalent to illustr(āre) to brighten (see il-¹, luster¹) + -is adj. suffix) + -ous

Related formsil·lus·tri·ous·ly, adverbil·lus·tri·ous·ness, nounun·il·lus·tri·ous, adjectiveun·il·lus·tri·ous·ly, adverbun·il·lus·tri·ous·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for illustrious on Thesaurus.com

1. celebrated, eminent, famed.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for illustrious

Contemporary Examples

And I realized that a man had to be pretty sure of himself, because she was quite an illustrious person.
Mel Brooks Is Always Funny and Often Wise in This 1975 Playboy Interview
Alex Belth
February 16, 2014
Terman and his assistant relied on biographical accounts of illustrious individuals to compute the scores.
What is a Genius?
Nick Romeo
November 9, 2013
In The House of Rothschild, I identified at least three members of that illustrious financial dynasty as gay.
Niall Ferguson Responds to the Blogospherse
David Frum
May 8, 2013
Sunday's event would have been much better served had its illustrious panel reckoned honestly with this question.
Liberalism And Zionism (Sort Of) Debated
Jacob Silverman
April 15, 2013
Downton Abbey, she said, stands out in her long and illustrious career because of “its universal appeal.”
‘A Certain Age’—Shirley MacLaine Rattles Downton Abbey
Sandra McElwaine
December 27, 2012

Historical Examples

All the other statues and drawings of your illustrious kinsman are at your disposal.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Beneath were the illustrious dead; around were the illustrious living.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
There was but one feeling,—that England had lost one of her most illustrious statesmen.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
The aged and illustrious man had done what the poor boy refused to do.
Biographical Stories
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Joseph afterward was an illustrious specimen of this disposition.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I
Francis Augustus Cox

British Dictionary definitions for illustrious

illustrious

adjective

of great renown; famous and distinguished
glorious or greatillustrious deeds
obsolete shining

Derived Formsillustriously, adverbillustriousness, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Latin illustris bright, distinguished, famous, from illustrāre to make light; see illustrate

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

Word Origin and History for illustrious

adj.

1560s, from Latin illustris "lighted, bright, brilliant;" figuratively "distinguished, famous," probably a back-formation from illustrare "embellish, distinguish, make famous" (see illustration). Sometimes also illustrous. Replaced illustre in same sense (mid-15c.), from Middle French illustre.

illustrious

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}illustrious

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for illustrious

Contemporary Examples

And I realized that a man had to be pretty sure of himself, because she was quite an illustrious person.

Terman and his assistant relied on biographical accounts of illustrious individuals to compute the scores.

In The House of Rothschild, I identified at least three members of that illustrious financial dynasty as gay.

Sunday's event would have been much better served had its illustrious panel reckoned honestly with this question.

Downton Abbey, she said, stands out in her long and illustrious career because of “its universal appeal.”

Historical Examples

All the other statues and drawings of your illustrious kinsman are at your disposal.

Beneath were the illustrious dead; around were the illustrious living.

There was but one feeling,—that England had lost one of her most illustrious statesmen.

The aged and illustrious man had done what the poor boy refused to do.

Joseph afterward was an illustrious specimen of this disposition.

illustrious

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for illustrious

adj.

Origin of illustrious