illuminator
/ˌɪˈluːməˌneɪtə/ih-LOO-muh-nay-tur
UK form converted from the US by rule · unchecked/ˌɪˈluməˌneɪtɚ/ih-LOO-muh-nay-tur
Meaningone that illuminates
Common meaning: a person or thing that lights up
Other meanings: an illustrator of books
Tap a word part to explore
- ilform of in- before l
- luminlight; a lampLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1084 · scan
- atverb or adjective ending: to make, having
- oragent ending: the doer, or the device that does it
‘form of in- before l’ + ‘light’ → illuminator
Journey through time
- Latinlūmen, -inis‘light’
- Englishilluminate‘to light up’
- Englishformed in English from illuminateilluminator‘a person or thing that lights up’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from illuminate + -or.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), ILLUMINATE, p.281 · scan
Roots
- lūmen, -inis Latin “light; a lamp”
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