Crossword clues for luminary
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Luminary \Lu"mi*na*ry\, n.; pl. Luminaries, [F. luminaire, L. luminare a light or lamp, which was lighted in the churches, a luminary, fr. lumen, luminis, light, fr. lucere to be light, to shine, lux, lucis, light. See Light.]
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Any body that gives light, especially one of the heavenly bodies. `` Radiant luminary.''
--Skelton.Where the great luminary . . . Dispenses light from far.
--Milton. One who illustrates any subject, or enlightens mankind; as, Newton was a distinguished luminary.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-15c., "lamp, source of (artificial) light," from Old French luminarie (12c.), "lamp, lights, lighting; candles; brightness, illumination," from Late Latin luminare "light, torch, lamp, heavenly body," literally "that which gives light," from Latin lumen (genitive luminis) "light," related to lucere "to shine" (see light (n.)). Sense of "notable person" is first recorded 1690s, though the Middle English word also had a figurative sense of "source of spiritual light, example of holiness."
Wiktionary
n. 1 One that is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in his chosen field; a leading light. 2 An artificial light; an illumination. 3 A body that gives light; ''especially'', one of the heavenly bodies.
WordNet
n. a celebrity who is an inspiration to others; "he was host to a large gathering of luminaries" [syn: leading light, guiding light, notable, notability]
Wikipedia
The luminaries were what traditional astrologers called the two astrological " planets" which were the brightest and most important objects in the heavens, that is, the Sun and the Moon. Luminary means, source of light. The sun and moon, being the most abundant sources of light to the inhabitants of Earth are known as luminaries. The astrological significance warrants the classification of the Sun and Moon separately from the planets, in that the Sun and Moon have to do with Man's spiritual consciousness, while the planetary influences operate through the physical mechanism. The Moon is a luminary in the biblical sense that it affords to Man "light by night". Some early, Pre-Newtonian astronomers to observe and study luminaries include Pythagoras, Aristotle, Claudius Ptolemy, al-Khwarizmi, Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei, and Johannes Kepler.
Luminary may refer to:
- Luminary (astrology), in traditional astrology, one of the two brightest and most astrological planets: the Sun and the Moon
Luminary, a public sculpture by American artist Jeff Laramore, is located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. This sculpture is made from onyx stone and sits as the cornerstone of the IU Simon Cancer Center at the north-west corner of Michigan and University Streets.
The focal point of the sculpture is an onyx stone sphere that is illuminated at night. The sphere is approximately high with a circumference of . The core sphere of the sculpture is surrounded by concrete supports pieces designed in a wave-like pattern. The dimensions of the sculpture with the concrete supports are approximately high, long, and wide.
Usage examples of "luminary".
It was probably a compound of Uch-Ur, the same as Achor, and Achorus of Egypt, the great luminary, the Sun.
Souls, the Ancients held, having emanated from the Principle of Light, partaking of its destiny here below, cannot be indifferent to nor unaffected by these revolutions of the Great Luminary, alternately victor and overcome during every Solar revolution.
Such is the construction of any choche employed to carry an Elder Architect, ambassador or other luminary about the uncertain streets of Ornice Olorun.
This astrolatry, originally a kind of fetichism, became nature-worship, and gradually rose to the worship of the intelligence manifested to our contemplation in the movement of the heavenly luminaries.
For ever, in all the nations, ascending to the remotest antiquity to which the light of History or the glimmerings of tradition reach, we find, seated above all the gods which represent the luminaries and the elements, and those which personify the innate Powers of universal nature, a still higher Deity, silent, undefined, incomprehensible, the Supreme, one God, from Whom all the rest flow or emanate, or by Him are created.
Many of the luminaries of the field took part: Kapor and Godwin as a matter of course.
We ask now your attention to a still further development of these truths, after we shall have added something to what we have already said in regard to the Chief Luminary of Heaven, in explanation of the names and characteristics of the several imaginary Deities that represented him among the ancient races of men.
The popular theology, taking the multitude of allegories and symbols for realities, degenerated into a worship of the celestial luminaries, of imaginary Deities with human feelings, passions, appetites, and lusts, of idols, stones, animals, reptiles.
Sun and Stars and Planets as composed of this finer element, and as themselves great and mysterious Intelligences, infinitely superior to man, living Existences, gifted with mighty powers and wielding vast influences, those elements and bodies conveyed to them, when used as symbols of Deity, a far more adequate idea than they can now do to us, or than we can comprehend, now that Fire and Light are familiar to us as air and water, and the Heavenly Luminaries are lifeless worlds like our own.
To undeceive you, if such was your conclusion, we have caused the Personifications of the Great Luminary of Heaven, under the names by which he was known to the most ancient nations, to proclaim the old primitive truths that were known to the Fathers of our race, before men came to worship the visible manifestations of the Supreme Power and Magnificence and the Supposed Attributes of the Universal Deity in the Elements and in the glittering armies that Night regularly marshals and arrays upon the blue field of the firmament.
Arcturus, or Aldebaran, or whatever the blazing luminary may have been, with all his revolving worlds, sailed uncared-for down the firmament.
We were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion.
I shall quote his words, as conveying my own sensations much more forcibly than I am capable of doing: We are now treading that illustrious island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion.
These alarming consequences were affirmed with unblushing simplicity by Apollinaris, ^18 bishop of Laodicea, and one of the luminaries of the church.
He was on the National Indigenous Sports Award board-together with such Aboriginal luminaries as Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls, the late Sugar Ray Robinson, basketballer Danny Morseu and Charlie Perkins.