illustrious
Americanadjective
-
highly distinguished; renowned; famous.
an illustrious leader.
- Synonyms:
- famed, eminent, celebrated
-
glorious, as deeds or works.
many illustrious achievements.
-
Obsolete. luminous; bright.
adjective
-
of great renown; famous and distinguished
-
glorious or great
illustrious deeds
-
obsolete shining
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of illustrious
1560–70; < Latin illustri ( s ) bright, clear, famous (equivalent to illustr ( āre ) to brighten ( see il- 1, luster 1) + -is adj. suffix) + -ous
Explanation
Something that's illustrious is well known or famous, leaving a trail of glory in its wake. An illustrious career, for example, is full of impressive achievements and celebrated contributions to society. Coming from the Latin illustris, meaning “bright, distinguished, famous,” illustrious is a powerful adjective. It's similar to luster, which is a brilliant shine — so imagine that something illustrious is as wonderful as a sparkling diamond. Use this word to describe the career or reputation of someone really successful, like a bestselling author or business mogul.
Vocabulary lists containing illustrious
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Throughout his illustrious career, he also received one Oscar nomination in 1992 — as a producer for best picture nominee “A Few Good Men.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
During his illustrious career, he saved Borussia Dortmund after the club had been on the verge of bankruptcy, and years later, he pulled Liverpool out of no man's land in the Premier League standings.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
It’s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
Watch WSJ’s Ben Fritz sit down with Stanton to discuss his illustrious career, Pixar’s unique approach to filmmaking, and why its movies are so good at making you cry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
What do you think of our illustrious Elector Primo?
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
