luminary

American  

[loo-muh-ner-ee] / ˈlu məˌnɛr i /

noun

• luminaries
  plural

1. a celestial body, such as the sun or moon.

2. a body, object, etc., that gives light.

3. a person who has attained eminence in their field or is an inspiration to others.

   The book was written by one of the luminaries in the field of medical science.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by light.

luminary British  

/ ˈluːmɪnərɪ /

noun

1. a person who enlightens or influences others

2. a famous person

3. literary something, such as the sun or moon, that gives off light

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adjective

1. of, involving, or characterized by light or enlightenment

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• luminaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of luminary

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English luminarye, from Medieval Latin lūmināria “lamp”; see luminaria

Explanation

In scientific writing, Stephen J. Hawking is a luminary. People look up to this well-known scientist and author for his knowledge and insight. Although luminary can mean an object or celestial body that gives off light, you'll often hear people talk about parties at which there were many luminaries in attendance. In this case, luminary means celebrity or well-known person in sports or politics, science or the arts. Think of them as being bright lights that make a party sparkle.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

luminary luminaries

Kent’s jet-black sea is indistinguishable from the cosmos, and his white whale glows like some luminary body within it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

“She will be remembered as being a fierce luminary in disability justice, a brilliant writer, editor and community organizer,” the post said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2025

A luminary in his field, Tao conducts research that examines, in part, whether a group of numbers are random or structured.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025

Much like York, who was eventually collected by Jacqueline Kennedy and revered by the elite, Anderson has transformed from an outsider to a luminary, celebrated by the glitterati and beyond.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2024

Then they announced their Patron Historic, the luminary from history whom they would name themselves after.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Despite the relatively primitive state of world models, tech luminaries are piling in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

From above, an outdoor terrace is outfitted especially for hosting recruits or other luminaries, complete, for the time being, with basketball courts and pickleball.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

I don’t think anybody could gather a roomful of luminaries like that from entertainment, tech and politics in the way that Clive did.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

Pope Leo recently issued an encyclical on AI that built on the work last September of a panel of Nobel laureates, tech specialists and other luminaries the Vatican had assembled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Inside that circle are the homes of Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli—and the list of luminaries goes on.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• celebrity
• dignitary
• notable
• personage
• superstar