illuminati

[ ih-loo-muh-nah-tee, -ney-tahy ]

plural noun

, singular il·lu·mi·na·to [ih-loo-m, uh, -, nah, -toh, -, ney, -].

1. persons possessing, or claiming to possess, superior enlightenment.
2. (initial capital letter) a name given to different religious societies or sects because of their claim to superior enlightenment.

illuminati

¹

/ ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː /

plural noun

1. a group of persons claiming exceptional enlightenment on some subject, esp religion

Illuminati

²

/ ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːtiː /

plural noun

1. any of several groups of illuminati, esp in 18th-century France
2. a group of religious enthusiasts of 16th-century Spain who were persecuted by the Inquisition
3. a masonic sect founded in Bavaria in 1778 claiming that the illuminating grace of Christ resided in it alone
4. a rare name for the Rosicrucians

Word History and Origins

Origin of illuminati¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin illūminātī, plural of illūminātus “enlightened”; illuminate

Word History and Origins

Origin of illuminati¹

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

Example Sentences

As a noted feminist/ illuminati member/ Goddess/ walking Instagram video, Beyoncé certainly wears many hats/ veils/ body suits.

From The Daily Beast

She believes the Illuminati are leaving secret clues in, among other places, the viral Kony 2012 video.

From The Daily Beast

For example, a website accumulated all of my music videos to point out perceived Illuminati images.

From The Daily Beast

The symbol is sometimes associated with the Illuminati, but that same symbol also dates back to ancient Egypt.

From The Daily Beast

Illuminati is the plural of illuminatus, which means “enlightened.”

From The Daily Beast

Dr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of canon law at Ingolstadt, founded the secret society of the illuminati.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a member of the illuminati, and implicated in some of the disputes relating to that order.

From Project Gutenberg

Many of the Freemasons of France in 1787 were thus not conscious allies of the Illuminati.

From Project Gutenberg

We have seen that from the Illuminati onwards subversive societies have always sought recruits amongst orthodox Freemasons.

From Project Gutenberg

Secondly, that all these writers misinterpreted or misquoted the Illuminati, who should be judged only by their own works.

From Project Gutenberg