enlightenment
en-light-en-ment · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
The state of having knowledge or understanding; the act of gaining insight.
- 2.
(Buddhism/Hinduism) A state of spiritual awakening and liberation from suffering.
- 3.
(Historical, often capitalized) The Enlightenment: an 18th-century European intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism.
Phrases & expressions
- •the Age of Enlightenment — the 18th-century intellectual movement
- •spiritual enlightenment — achieving a higher state of consciousness
Related words
Etymology
From "enlighten" + "-ment" (noun-forming suffix). The spiritual sense developed in the 17th century, while the historical period dates from the 18th century.