Added 9 October 2026
enlightenment
/ɪnˈlaɪtənmənt/ noun
In Latin: lux Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about enlightenment at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge.
- (Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire and suffering and individual consciousness.
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A movement in Europe from about 1650 until 1800 that advocated the use of reason and individualism instead of tradition and established doctrine.
the Enlightenment brought about many humanitarian reforms