Illuminize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make something bright by shining light upon it ; to inform or uplift someone's mind with knowledge or insight
2. To cause something to glow or become radiant with light ; to clarify or elevate someone's understanding through education or wisdom
3. To brighten or radiate something with luminescence ; to inspire or enhance someone's intellectual or spiritual awareness

Etymology: Its core is the Latin "lumen," meaning light, which produced the verb "illuminare," to light up or make bright. English took that root in several forms, including "illuminate" and "illumine," the latter arriving through Old French. "Illuminize" adds the suffix "-ize," which comes through Latin from Greek "-izein" and turns a base into a verb meaning to make or cause something to be a certain way. Put together, the verb means roughly to make something bright or to enlighten it. It is a rare formation that sits beside the more common "illuminate" rather than replacing it.