il·lu·mi·na·ti

(ĭ-lo͞o′mə-nä′tē)

pl.n.

1. People claiming to be unusually enlightened with regard to a subject.

2. Illuminati Any of various groups claiming special religious or philosophical enlightenment.

[Latin illūminātī, from pl. of illūminātus, past participle of illūmināre, to light up; see illuminate.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

illuminati

(ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː)

pl n, sing -to (-təʊ)

(Philosophy) a group of persons claiming exceptional enlightenment on some subject, esp religion

[C16: from Latin, literally: the enlightened ones, from illūmināre to illuminate]

Illuminati

(ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː)

pl n, sing -to (-təʊ)

1. (Philosophy) any of several groups of illuminati, esp in 18th-century France

2. (Roman Catholic Church) a group of religious enthusiasts of 16th-century Spain who were persecuted by the Inquisition

3. (Christian Churches, other) a masonic sect founded in Bavaria in 1778 claiming that the illuminating grace of Christ resided in it alone

4. (Christian Churches, other) a rare name for the Rosicrucians

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

il•lu•mi•na•ti

(ɪˌlu məˈnɑ ti, -ˈneɪ taɪ)

n.pl., sing. -to (-toʊ)

1. persons claiming to possess superior enlightenment.

2. (cap.) any of various religious sects claiming special enlightenment.

[1590–1600; < Latin illūminātī, pl. of illūminātus enlightened; see illuminate]