illustration
noun
Simple meaning
A picture or drawing in a book or article; also an example that helps explain something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihluhstrayshuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪləstˈɹeɪʃən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Something which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove obscurity.
The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct.
A picture designed to decorate a publication, or elucidate a literary work.
The state of being illustrated, or of being made clear and distinct.
A calculated prevision of insurance premiums and returns (life insurance)
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Something which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove obscurity.
Used this way, illustration is a reasonably familiar word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Clear and precise
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use illustration
- “The book included a colorful illustration on almost every page.”
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
An artist who makes illustrations (for books or magazines or advertisements etc.).
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: something which illustrates
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.