illustrious

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪˈlʌstriəs/ UK /ɪˈlʌstriəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
well known and admired for past achievements

The professor enjoyed a long and illustrious academic career.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · well known and admired for... distinguished eminent renowned celebrated famous prestigious noble

Opposites

obscure unknown ignominious lowly

Word family

Derived forms illustriouslyillustriousness

Related forms illustrate lustre

Etymology

From Latin illustris ('bright, distinguished, famous'), from illustrare ('to light up, make famous'), from in- ('in') + lustrare ('to illuminate, brighten').

illustris Latin lustrare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# illustrious

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

## Meanings
1. well known and admired for past achievements

## Examples
- The professor enjoyed a long and illustrious academic career.

## Synonyms
- distinguished
- eminent
- renowned
- celebrated
- famous
- prestigious
- noble

## Antonyms
- obscure
- unknown
- ignominious
- lowly

## Derived Forms
- illustriously
- illustriousness

## Related Forms
- illustrate
- lustre

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: illustris
- Root: lustrare

## Etymology
From Latin illustris ('bright, distinguished, famous'), from illustrare ('to light up, make famous'), from in- ('in') + lustrare ('to illuminate, brighten').

## AI Etymology
Illustrious comes from Latin illustris ('bright, distinguished, famous'), from illustrare ('to light up, make famous'), from in- ('in') + lustrare ('to illuminate, brighten'). The historical trail runs through Latin illustris and Latin lustrare. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means well known and admired for past achievements. Derived formations include illustriously, illustriousness; related forms include illustrate, lustre.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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