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What is "illuminating"

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
illuminating
adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
most
▪ I do not favour either approach above the other but am using each where I feel it is most illuminating.
▪ A heady mixture of reminiscence and connoisseurship of the least pretentious, most illuminating sort.
▪ Employers who have attended students' debriefing sessions have found them most illuminating. 21.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ The film proves many illuminating insights into Chinese culture.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ All seven characters are drawn with illuminating detail and superbly played by an outstanding young company.
▪ Feminist critiques of science as it was traditionally practiced emerged as an illuminating parallel to the working hypotheses of complexity researchers.
▪ I find this an illuminating analogy of the real purpose of prayer.
▪ Nevertheless, Blake's achievement in producing digestible theory and illuminating analyses within the confines of such a short book is considerable.
▪ Some food names are less illuminating.
▪ The movement also contributed illuminating insights into such matters as governing institutions and rights and duties.
▪ This last is not so easy as it may seem, but can be highly illuminating.
▪ We had a most uninteresting conversation but it was extremely illuminating.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Illuminating

Illuminate \Il*lu"mi*nate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illuminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Illuminating.] [L. illuminatus, p. p. of illuminare; pref. il- in + luminare to enlighten, fr. lumen light. See Luminous, and cf. Illume, Illumine, Enlimn, Limn.]

  1. To make light; to throw light on; to supply with light, literally or figuratively; to brighten.

  2. To light up; to decorate with artificial lights, as a building or city, in token of rejoicing or respect.

  3. To adorn, as a book or page with borders, initial letters, or miniature pictures in colors and gold, as was done in manuscripts of the Middle Ages.

  4. To make plain or clear; to dispel the obscurity to by knowledge or reason; to explain; to elucidate; as, to illuminate a text, a problem, or a duty.

Illuminating

Illuminating \Il*lu"mi*na`ting\, a. Giving or producing light; used for illumination.

Illuminating gas. See Gas, n., 2 (a) .

Wiktionary
illuminating

vb. (present participle of illuminate English)

WordNet
illuminating

  1. adj. highly enlightening; making understandable or clarifying; "an illuminating lecture"; "illuminating pieces of information" [syn: enlightening] [ant: unilluminating]

  2. providing light; "the sun's illuminating rays"

Usage examples of "illuminating".

Carialle said, illuminating three traces that converged on an asteroid cluster.

Dass flipped a toggle, and light glowed in the water inside, illuminating a stunning magenta fan flecked with yellow and white.

A night light hung over the bed, illuminating Afra's quiet face, deeply lined with fatigue and pain.

Lights winked on in the settlement, a huge spotlight illuminating the large clearing around which the individual residences were grouped.

Carialle said, illuminating the planetary map, "but in spite of Keff's suggestions I don't want to land right in the thick of things.

She flattened herself on the far side of the car as light flooded out of the building, illuminating the plat form and the slightly bulging side of the car on which she lay.

There was much too much light, illuminating the cave behind her, the clearing around her.

A night light hung over the bed, illuminating Afra 's quiet face, deeply lined with fatigue and pain.

Then he saw Kiely floating ahead of him, grabbing handholds where he could to propel himself forward, his helmet light illuminating the way.

Oh, no, Thian, this is just a brief chapter even if a very illuminating one,' his mother said.

An aureole of bright light illuminating the ancient stratovolcano as a second moon rose behind it.

Suddenly lights came up, illuminating the field with beams so bright she had to shield her eyes.

Suddenly the affected manners dropped, and Mirrim's scowl gave way to an incredulous smile of relief, illuminating her face and making her a very pretty girl.

Cautiously raising his head, he saw that the guards were back in position and that the glowbaskets again glowed on ramp and Hold walls, illuminating the roads leading up to the Hold.

Kindan realized as he answered her that Nuella was very good at illuminating every detail of a conversation.