illuminativeadj.n.
/ɪˈl(j)uːmɪneɪtɪv//ɪˈl(j)uːmɪnətɪv/ A. adj.figurative.1855 T. Carlyle Let. 29 Oct. in T. W. Reid Life Ld. Houghton (1890) I. xi. 526 The sight of your face will be illuminative to everybody in these premises.
1. Having the property of illuminating, lighting up, or affording light.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > illumination > [adjective] > that illuminates
illuminating1632
illuminative1644
luminating1746
luminarious1773
luminant1891
1644 K. Digby Two Treat. i. iv. 31 The illuminatiue action of fire.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Illuminative Month,..that space of Time, during which the Moon gives Light, or is to be seen betwixt one Conjunction and another.
1870 J. Scoffern Stray Leaves Sci. & Folk-lore 106 Carbon..united with hydrogen..becomes ordinary illuminative gas.
2.
a. Having the quality or claim of illuminating spiritually or intellectually; spec. applied to the second stage of spiritual advancement: see quots.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > enlightenment > [adjective]
enlightening1574
luciferous1648
illuminative1649
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > inspiration or revelation > [adjective]
inspiredc1450
illumined1526
godly-wise1532
revealed1533
illuminate1563
enthusiast1578
lightsome1587
enthusiastical1588
entheate1603
enthusiac1603
enthusiastic1603
illuminated1606
illightened1609
enthean1612
theopneust1647
illuminative1649
entheous1682
revelational1693
entheal1736
entheastic1804
theopneustic1838
theophanic1884
inspirational1888
theophanous1909
Beatrician1943
1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar i. v. iii. 90 After..the punitive part of repentance is resolved on, and begun, and put forward..we then enter into the illuminative way of religion; and set upon the acquist of virtues and the purchase of spiritual graces.
1654 E. Gayton Pleasant Notes Don Quixot iv. xxv. 287 Illuminative and inspired physick he detested.
1671 A. Woodhead tr. Life St. Teresa i. xxii. 144 After many yeares first passed through the Purgative way, and some advance made in the Illuminative.
1830 R. Southey in For. Rev. & Cent. Misc. V. 318 The purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages of devotion.
1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia II. vi. vii. 108 A glimpse into the interior of the Berlin Schloss..which will be illuminative to the reader.
1872 H. P. Liddon Some Elements Relig. iv. 129 Revelation must be not merely illuminative, but remedial.
b. Const. of. rare.
ΚΠ
1701 J. Norris Ess. Ideal World I. iii. 157 Upon the contrary supposition, that of God's knowing the creatures in themselves, the consequence will be, that the creatures are freely illuminative of their Creator.
3. Pertaining to the illumination of writing.
ΚΠ
1870 T. Nichols Handy Bk. Brit. Mus. iv. 393 The finest and richest specimen of Anglo-Saxon illuminative art.
B. n.
An illuminating agent. rare.
ΚΠ
a1711 T. Ken Hymnotheo in Wks. (1721) III. 246 The Book inspir'd..There all Inflammatives of Love Divine; There all sublime Illuminatives shine.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.n.1644