Added 8 October 2026
enlighten
/ɪnˈlaɪtən/ verb
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about enlighten at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
To supply with light.
The sun enlightens the Earth.
-
To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to.
She tried to enlighten them about the rules of the program, but they remained belligerently and self-righteously ignorant.
Origin
Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhtan (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light + -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)