Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “illustrious” come from?

illustrious (English) comes from Latin illūstris, from Latin illustro, from Latin lūstrō, from Latin lūstrum, from Old Latin loustrom, from Proto-Indo-European lewkstrom, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.

illustrious (English): Admired, distinguished, respected, or well-known,...

Definitions

  1. Admired, distinguished, respected, or well-known,...

Ancestry of “illustrious”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinillūstris—
2LatinillustroI illuminate, brighten, light up; I elucidate,...
3Latinlūstrō—
4Latinlūstrum—
5Old Latinloustrom—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewkstrom—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

Words derived from “illustrious”

  • illustriously
  • illustriousness
  • unillustrious
  • nonillustrious
  • unillustriously
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk- →