name · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɪnˈlaɪtənmənt/
/ənˈlaɪtənmənt/
/-laɪtmənt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH2 N L AY1 T AH0 N M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A 17th- and 18th-century European intellectual and cultural movement emphasizing rationalism. The period during which it flourished is called the Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: history, human-sciences, sciences
Examples
1997, Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, page 36 (Totem Books, Icon Books; →ISBN He first presented a complementary thesis on the Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), in which he used the term “archaeology” for the first time, and which indicated the period of history to which he was constantly to return. The Enlightenment: the intellectual, philosophical, cultural and scientific spirit of the 18th century. A belief in reason, progress, man’s “maturity” and a general rejection of tradition, religion and authority.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: European Enlightenment, Euro-American Enlightenment, Western Enlightenment, Aufklärung
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
Synonym of Age of Enlightenment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Age of Enlightenment
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An act of enlightening, or the state of being enlightened or instructed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A concept in spirituality, philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
a movement in Europe from about 1650 until 1800 that advocated the use of reason and individualism instead of tradition and established doctrine
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the Enlightenment brought about many humanitarian reforms
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Age of Reason
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reform movement, historic period, age
7
noun
Meaning 7
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire and suffering and individual consciousness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree English enlighten Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -mentbor. Middle English -ment English -ment English enlightenment From enlighten + -ment.
Across languages
Translations
135 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
التَّنْوِير
(at-tanwīr)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Armenian:
Լուսավորություն
(Lusavorutʻyun)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Armenian:
Լուսավորականություն
(Lusavorakanutʻyun)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Belarusian:
Асве́тніцтва
(Asvjétnictva)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Catalan:
Il·lustració
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Chinese Mandarin:
啟蒙時代 /启蒙时代
(Qǐméng Shídài)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Czech:
osvícenství
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Dutch:
de verlichting
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Esperanto:
klerismo
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Estonian:
valgustusajastu
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Finnish:
valistusaika
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
French:
les Lumières
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Georgian:
განმანათლებლობა
(ganmanatlebloba)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
German:
die Aufklärung
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Greek:
Διαφωτισμός
(Diafotismós)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Hungarian:
a felvilágosodás
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Icelandic:
Upplýsingin
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Irish:
an Eagnaíocht
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Italian:
illuminismo
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Japanese:
啓蒙
(keimō)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Korean:
계몽주의
(gyemongjuui)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Persian:
روشنگری
(rowšangari)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Polish:
Oświecenie
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Portuguese:
Iluminismo
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Portuguese:
Esclarecimento
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Portuguese:
Ilustração
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Russian:
Просвеще́ние
(Prosveščénije)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Spanish:
Ilustración
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Spanish:
Iluminismo
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Swedish:
upplysningen
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Thai:
ยุคเรืองปัญญา
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Thai:
ยุคสว่าง
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Turkish:
Aydınlanma
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Ukrainian:
Просві́тництво
(Prosvítnyctvo)
— 17th- and 18th-century cultural movement
Albanian:
ndriçim
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Arabic:
تَنْوِير
(tanwīr)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Azerbaijani:
maarif
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Azerbaijani:
maariflənmə
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Azerbaijani:
maarifləndirmə
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Azerbaijani:
maarifləndirilmə
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Belarusian:
асве́тніцтва
(asvjétnictva)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Bulgarian:
просве́та
(prosvéta)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Chinese Mandarin:
啟發 /启发
(qǐfā)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Chinese Mandarin:
啟迪 /启迪
(qǐdí)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Chinese Mandarin:
教育
(jiàoyù)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Chinese Mandarin:
啟蒙 /启蒙
(qǐméng)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Chinese Mandarin:
教化
(jiàohuà)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Czech:
osvícení
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Dutch:
verlichting
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Finnish:
valaistuminen
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Galician:
esclarecemento
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Georgian:
განათლება
(ganatleba)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
German:
Aufklärung
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Greek:
φώτιση
(fótisi)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Hindi:
प्रबोधन
(prabodhan)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Hungarian:
megvilágosodás
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Indonesian:
pencerahan
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Irish:
léargas
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Italian:
illuminismo
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Japanese:
悟り
(satori)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Kazakh:
ағартушылық
(ağartuşylyq)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Khmer:
ការត្រាស់ដឹង
(kaa trah dəng)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Latin:
lux
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Macedonian:
просветлување
(prosvetluvanje)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Macedonian:
просвета
(prosveta)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Malay:
kecerahan
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Malay:
penyedaran
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Malay:
kesedaran
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Maltese:
tidwil
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Māori:
māramatanga
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Nepali:
प्रबुद्धता
(prabuddhatā)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Polish:
oświecenie
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Portuguese:
esclarecimento
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Romanian:
iluminism
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Romanian:
luminism
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Russian:
просвеще́ние
(prosveščénije)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Serbo-Croatian:
просвећење
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Serbo-Croatian:
просвјећење
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Serbo-Croatian:
prosvećenje
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Serbo-Croatian:
prosvjećenje
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Spanish:
iluminación
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Spanish:
alumbramiento
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Spanish:
esclarecimiento
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Swedish:
upplysning
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Telugu:
జ్ఞానోదయం
(jñānōdayaṁ)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Turkish:
aydınlanma
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Ukrainian:
осві́чення
(osvíčennja)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Ukrainian:
осві́та
(osvíta)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Ukrainian:
просві́тництво
(prosvítnyctvo)
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Welsh:
goleuedigaeth
— act of enlightening, state of being enlightened
Belarusian:
асве́тніцтва
(asvjétnictva)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Bulgarian:
просвеще́ние
(prosvešténie)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Chinese Mandarin:
開悟 /开悟
(kāiwù)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Chinese Mandarin:
啟蒙 /启蒙
(qǐméng)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Czech:
osvícenství
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Danish:
oplysning
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Dutch:
verlichting
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Finnish:
valistus
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
French:
illumination
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
German:
Aufklärung
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Greek:
διαφωτισμός
(diafotismós)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Hindi:
प्रबोधन
(prabodhan)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Hindi:
जागरण
(jāgraṇ)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Hungarian:
felvilágosodás
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Irish:
soilsiú
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Irish:
léargas
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Italian:
illuminazione
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Japanese:
悟り
(satori)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Japanese:
啓蒙
(keimō)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Korean:
계몽
(gyemong)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Lao:
ສັມໂພດ
(sam phōt)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Lao:
ສັມໂພທິ
(sam phō thi)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Macedonian:
просветителство
(prosvetitelstvo)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Mongolian:
гэгээрэл
(gegeerel)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Norwegian Bokmål:
opplysing
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Persian:
رُوشَنگَری
(rowšangari)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Polish:
oświecenie
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Romanian:
iluminare
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Russian:
просвеще́ние
(prosveščénije)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Russian:
просветле́ние
(prosvetlénije)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Serbo-Croatian:
просветитељство
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Serbo-Croatian:
просвјетитељство
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Slovak:
osvietenstvo
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Slovene:
razsvetljenstvo
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Spanish:
iluminación
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Spanish:
ilustración
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Spanish:
iluminismo
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Spanish:
alumbramiento (disused)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Swedish:
upplysning
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Thai:
การตรัสรู้
(gaan-dtràt-sà-rúu)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Thai:
การรู้แจ้ง
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Ukrainian:
просві́тництво
(prosvítnyctvo)
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Vietnamese:
sự giác ngộ
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Vietnamese:
sự khai ngộ
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
Welsh:
goleuedigaeth
— philosophy and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason and knowledge
