Meaning

2 senses

  1. (transitive)To supply with light.

    The sun enlightens the Earth.

    освеща́тьosveščátʹ, освети́тьosvetítʹ

  2. (figuratively, transitive)To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to.

    She tried to enlighten them about the rules of the program, but they remained belligerently and self-righteously ignorant.

    Care to enlighten me, if you think I'm so benighted?

    aufklären

    просвеща́тьprosveščátʹ, просвети́тьprosvetítʹ, осведомля́тьosvedomljátʹ

    просвіща́тиprosviščáty, просвіти́тиprosvitýty

    make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear

Examples

44 sentences

  1. Why don't you enlighten us?

    Чому б тобі нас не просвітити?

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  2. This has been an enlightening experience.

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  3. The information Tom gave us was enlightening.

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  4. I hope Tom can enlighten me.

    ruЯ надеюсь, Том может просветить меня.

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  5. Tom's explanation was enlightening.

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Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
to make clear to the intellect:
Русский
By meaning 2
to supply with light:
to make clear to the intellect:
Deutsch
By meaning 1
to make clear to the intellect:

Origin

Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from

Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhtan (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light + -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

enlightens, enlightening, enlightened, enlightened
Base formenlighten · to enlighten
3rd person singularenlightens
Present participleenlightening
Past simpleenlightened
Past participleenlightened

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyenlighten
he, she, itenlightens

Past simpleLesson

all personsenlightened

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave enlightened
he, she, ithas enlightened

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill enlighten

Synonyms

32 synonyms
illuminateB1brightA1fireB2illustrateB2lightB1lightenB2clarifyB2explainA2informB1edifyC2illuminealightbelightbeshine
Close in meaning

Antonyms

1 antonyms
endarken

Word family

5 related words
RelatedlightenB2elucidateenlightenment
Derivedenlightenableenlightener

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
enjoyableB1enjoymentB1enlargeenlargementenlightenmentenlistenliven
enlighten — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto