illuminati
[ ih-loo-muh-nah-tee, -ney-tahy ]
/ ɪˌlu məˈnɑ ti, -ˈneɪ taɪ /
plural noun, singular il·lu·mi·na·to [ih-loo-muh-nah-toh, -ney-] /ɪˌlu məˈnɑ toʊ, -ˈneɪ-/.
persons possessing, or claiming to possess, superior enlightenment.
(initial capital letter)
a name given to different religious societies or sects because of their claim to superior enlightenment.
Origin of illuminati
Words nearby illuminati
illume,
illuminable,
illuminance,
illuminant,
illuminate,
illuminati,
illuminating,
illumination,
illuminative,
illuminator,
illumine
Example sentences from the Web for illuminati
British Dictionary definitions for illuminati (1 of 2)
illuminati
/ (ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː) /
pl n singular -to (-təʊ)
a group of persons claiming exceptional enlightenment on some subject, esp religion
Word Origin for illuminati
C16: from Latin, literally: the enlightened ones, from
illūmināre to
illuminate
British Dictionary definitions for illuminati (2 of 2)
Illuminati
/ (ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː) /
pl n singular -to (-təʊ)
any of several groups of illuminati, esp in 18th-century France
a group of religious enthusiasts of 16th-century Spain who were persecuted by the Inquisition
a masonic sect founded in Bavaria in 1778 claiming that the illuminating grace of Christ resided in it alone
a rare name for the Rosicrucians