English
illumine
Illumine comes from Middle English illuminen ‘to light, light up’, from Latin lūminō ‘to illuminate’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léwksmn̥reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louksmənreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūmen‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElūminō‘to illuminate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEillūminō‘to light up, illuminate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEillūminārepresent active infinitive of illūminō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400illuminer‘to light up, illuminate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500illuminen‘to light, light up’
- Englishearliest quotation 1593illumine
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léwksmn̥reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louksmənreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūmen‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElūminō‘to illuminate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEillūminō‘to light up, illuminate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEillūminārepresent active infinitive of illūminō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400illuminer‘to light up, illuminate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500illuminen‘to light, light up’
- Englishearliest quotation 1593illumine
Earliest quotation: 1593, William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis: “And as the bright sun glorifies the sky, /…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’
light, low, los, link, lucy, ounce, lea, lunar, luna, translucent, lux, lynx, lucid, luce, loach, leucine, lum, lune, luminary, 76 more
through Latin lūmen ‘light’
lumen, luminous, luminosity, lumia, luminescent, luminal, 20 more
Today it means
verb To shine light on (something).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewk- / illumine