WordLens

enlightenment

1 of 1noun
/ɪnˈlaɪtənmənt/
1

education or knowledge that brings understanding, insight, or awareness

  • Reading widely can lead to personal enlightenment.
  • The lecture provided enlightenment on modern physics.
  • Travel often brings cultural enlightenment.
  • The book offered practical enlightenment about economics.
  • Enlightenment through education improves society.
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2

a philosophical movement in the late 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason and science were of more importance than tradition and religion

C1
  • The Enlightenment challenged traditional authority and promoted reason as the basis for understanding the world.
  • Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau advocated for freedom of thought and expression.
  • The Enlightenment paved the way for scientific advancements and the questioning of religious dogma.
  • Philosophers during the Enlightenment sought to apply reason and logic to all aspects of human society.
  • The Enlightenment had a profound impact on political thought, influencing the ideas of democracy and individual rights.
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3

(in Buddhism and Hinduism) a transcendent state of spiritual realization, liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, characterized by the cessation of desire, suffering, and individual consciousness

  • The monk achieved enlightenment after years of meditation.
  • Enlightenment in Buddhism marks the end of worldly suffering.
  • Hinduism describes enlightenment as liberation from rebirth.
  • Enlightenment is a central goal of many Eastern traditions.
  • The teachings guide followers toward enlightenment.
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