verb
illuminare
illuminate
Far diventare qualcosa visibile o più chiaro grazie alla luce.
Definition & meaning
Illuminare means to illuminate, light up, or shed light on something.
- Literally: to provide light or make something brighter.
- Figuratively: to clarify an idea or situation, or to inspire and enlighten someone.
Grammar & Word origin
It is a regular -are verb and is usually transitive: it takes a direct object. Its past participle is illuminato.
It comes from Latin illuminare, formed from in- (“upon”) and luminare (“to light”), related to lumen (“light”).
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- rischiarare — to brighten or light up, especially by dispelling darkness.
- chiarire — to clarify; used for explanations rather than physical light.
- ispirare — to inspire; overlaps with the figurative sense of enlightening someone.
Antonyms
- oscurare — to darken or obscure, literally or figuratively.
- confondere — to confuse; the opposite of clarifying an idea.
Common phrases & collocations
Make “illuminare” part of your vocabulary.
Build your Italian vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
La luna illumina la strada.verb
The moon illuminates the road.
Keep exploring Italian
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad