Illustre

adj, verb

adj, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To illuminate (something). obsolete, transitive

    "But, as the Phœnix on my Front doth gliſter, / Thou ſhalt the Finials of my Frame illuſtre."

  2. 2
    To make (someone) illustrious. obsolete, transitive
Adjective
  1. 1
    illustrious obsolete

Example

More examples

"But, as the Phœnix on my Front doth gliſter, / Thou ſhalt the Finials of my Frame illuſtre."

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle French illustre (15th c.) (French illustre), from Latin illustris (“bright, shining, brilliant, lustrous; clear, lucid; illustrious, distinguished, famous”), from illūstrō (“to illustrate”). The verb is derived from Middle French illustrer (15th c.) (French illustrer), from illūstrāre (“to illustrate”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.