enlighten

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈlaɪtən/ UK /ɪnˈlaɪtən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to give greater knowledge or understanding to someone

Perhaps you could enlighten me as to why the meeting was canceled.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give greater knowledge... inform educate illuminate instruct edify apprise teach

Opposites

confuse mislead obscure mystify

Word family

Derived forms enlightened enlightenmentenlightener

Related forms light lighten enlightenment

Etymology

From Middle English enlightenen, from en- (intensive) + lighten, from Old English lihtan ('to shine, give light'), from leoht ('light').

lihtan Old English leoht Old English *leuk- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# enlighten

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈlaɪtən/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈlaɪtən/

## Meanings
1. to give greater knowledge or understanding to someone

## Examples
- Perhaps you could enlighten me as to why the meeting was canceled.

## Synonyms
- inform
- educate
- illuminate
- instruct
- edify
- apprise
- teach

## Antonyms
- confuse
- mislead
- obscure
- mystify

## Derived Forms
- enlightened
- enlightenment
- enlightener

## Related Forms
- light
- lighten
- enlightenment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: lihtan
- Root: leoht
- Root: *leuk-

## Etymology
From Middle English enlightenen, from en- (intensive) + lighten, from Old English lihtan ('to shine, give light'), from leoht ('light').

## AI Etymology
Enlighten is from Middle English enlightenen, from en- (intensive) + lighten, from Old English lihtan ('to shine, give light'), from leoht ('light'). In present-day use, it means to give greater knowledge or understanding to someone. Derived formations include enlightened, enlightenment, and enlightener. Related vocabulary includes light, lighten, and enlightenment.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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