Definition: illumination

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

illumination
     n 1: a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination;
          "follow God's light" [syn: light]
     2: the degree of visibility of your environment
     3: the luminous flux incident on a unit area [syn: illuminance]
     4: painting or drawing included in a book (especially in
        illuminated medieval manuscripts) [syn: miniature]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Illumination \Il*lu`mi*na"tion\, n. [L. illuminatio: cf. F.
   illumination.]
   1. The act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the
      state of being illuminated.

   2. Festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.

   3. Adornment of books and manuscripts with colored
      illustrations. See Illuminate, v. t., 3.

   4. That which is illuminated, as a house; also, an ornamented
      book or manuscript.

   5. That which illuminates or gives light; brightness;
      splendor; especially, intellectual light or knowledge.

            The illumination which a bright genius giveth to his
            work.                                 --Felton.

   6. (Theol.) The special communication of knowledge to the
      mind by God; inspiration.

            Hymns and psalms . . . are framed by meditation
            beforehand, or by prophetical illumination are
            inspired.                             --Hooker.