illustrative
/ˌɪˈlʌstɹətɪv/ih-LUH-struh-tiv
/ˌɪˈlʌstɹətɪv/ih-LUH-struh-tiv
Meaningserving to illustrate
Common meaning: serving as an example
- ilform of in- before l
- lustrto light up; to purifyLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1087 · scan
- atverb or adjective ending: to make, having
- iveadjective ending: tending to
‘form of in- before l’ + ‘to light up’ → illustrative
Journey through time
- Latinlūstrō, lūstrāre‘to light up’
- Englishillustrate‘to light up with pictures or examples’
- Englishformed in English from illustrateillustrative‘serving as an example’ · 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 illustrate + -ive.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), ILLUSTRATE, p.281 · scan
Roots
- lūstrō, lūstrāre Latin “to light up; to purify”
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