illustrate
pronunciation
How to pronounce illustrate in British English:
UK [ˈɪləstreɪt]
How to pronounce illustrate in American English:
US [ˈɪləstreɪt]
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- Verb:
- clarify by giving an example of
- depict with an illustration
- e.g., illustrate a book with drawings
Word Origin
- illustrate
- illustrate: [16] Illustrate is closely related etymologically to illuminate. It goes back to Latin illustrāre, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- and lustrāre ‘make bright’, which came from the same base as produced Latin lūmen (source of illuminate) and lūx ‘light’, and indeed English light. Originally it meant literally ‘throw light on’, but this eventually passed via ‘elucidate’ to, in the 17th century, ‘exemplify’ and ‘add pictures to’.More of the original sense of ‘brightness’ survives, albeit metaphorically, in illustrious [16], which comes from Latin illustris ‘shining, clear’, a back-formation from illustrāre.=> illuminate, illustrious, light, luminous, lustre
- illustrate (v.)
- 1520s, "light up, shed light on;" 1610s, "educate by means of examples," back-formation from illustration, and in some cases from Latin illustratus, past participle of illustrare (see illustration). Sense of "provide pictures to explain or decorate" is 1630s. Related: Illustrated; illustrating.
Example
- 1. Protectionist tariffs and farm subsidies illustrate the same problem .
- 2. Let me quickly illustrate some of the links between food and water .
- 3. The unsatisfying answers illustrate why markets suddenly have become so volatile .
- 4. Let me tell you a story to illustrate the point .
- 5. Why did you choose harry truman to best illustrate this point ?