Etymology Dictionary

ILLUMINATE,   to enlighten, light up.  (L.)   In the Bible, A. V., Heb. x. 32; Shak. Jul. Cæsar, i. 3. 110.   But properly a pp., as in Bacon, Adv. of Learning. b. i. 7. § 3; G. Douglas, tr. of Virgil, prol. to bk. xii., l. 54.   [Older writers use illumine; see Dunbar, Thrissill and Rois, st. 3.   We also find the shortened form illume, Hamlet, i. 1. 37.   Both from F. illuminer; Cot.]—Lat. illuminatus, Heb. x. 32 (Vulgate); pp. of illuminare, to give light to.—Lat. il-, for in, on, upon; and luminare, to light up.—Lat. lumin-, stem of lumen, light.   See Il- (1) and Luminary.   Der. illuminat-ion, illuminat-ive, illuminat-or; also illumine (see above), for which Gower uses enlumine, C. A. iii. 86; whence the short form illume (see above), with which cf. relume, Oth. v. 2. 13.