Word of the Day

Saturday January 30, 2010

illustrious [i-luhs-tree-uhs]

adjective

Possessing luster or brightness; brilliant; luminous; splendid.
Characterized by greatness or nobleness; eminent; conspicuous; distinguished.
Conferring luster or honor; renowned; as, illustrious deeds or titles.

From the start, it attracted an illustrious crowd. In 1962, John F. Kennedy celebrated his 45th-birthday dinner there. By the 1970s, the restaurant's Grill Room became the setting for New York's original "power lunch."

Carla Spartos, "ONE TOQUE OVER THE LINE; HOW A DARING CHEF GOT 86'D FOR STARTING A FOOD FIGHT AT THE FOUR SEASONS", New York Post, Jan 24, 2010
As an antidote to the Ariels, Belles and Snow Whites, I'm trying to read my daughter as many anti-princess books as possible, including, of course, Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess, although a wild-haired girl in rags is admittedly poor competition for a blond beauty in a dazzling gown. Elly clearly has serious doubts about whether the former qualifies for the illustrious title.

Patricia Coppard, "The 'princess problem'; Feisty females offer an antidote to Ariels, Belles and Snow Whites", The Ottawa Citizen, Jan 24, 2010
Of the many illustrious thinkers whom the schools of France have contributed to the intellectual philosophy of our age, Victor Cousin, the most accomplished, assigns to Maine de Biran the rank of the most original.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) An English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. A Strange Story, Volume 1 (1862)

Origin of the Word

Illustrious, approximately 1566, from Latin illustris "bright, distinguished, famous," back-formation from illustrare "embellish, distinguish, make famous."