How to pronounce illuminate
Say it like il-OO-mih-nit. Illuminate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce illuminate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- il
- OO
- mih
- nit
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Illuminate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ilGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- OOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- mihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- nitKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of illuminate
American and British speakers say illuminate in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈlumɪnɪt/ in the US and /ɪˈljumɪneɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-LYOO-mih-nayt.
What does illuminate mean?
- To shine light on something.
- To decorate something with lights.
- To clarify or make something understandable.
- Enlightened spiritually, divinely taught or inspired; in technical use, converted, baptized.
- Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.
Where does illuminate come from?
From Middle English illuminaten, borrowed from Latin illūminātus, perfect passive participle of illūminō (“lighten, light up, show off”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from in + lūminō (“light up”), from lūmen (“light”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying illuminate
How do you pronounce illuminate?
Say il-OO-mih-nit. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈlumɪnɪt/. In British English it is /ɪˈljumɪneɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in illuminate?
Illuminate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OO). Broken into parts: il · OO · mih · nit.
Do Americans and Brits say illuminate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈlumɪnɪt/ and the British form is /ɪˈljumɪneɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.