illustre meaning (obsolete): definition, etymology and quotations

illustre

adj

Etymology From Middle French illustre (French illustre), from Latin illūstris (“bright, shining, brilliant, lustrous; clear, lucid; illustrious, distinguished, famous”), from illūstrō (“to illustrate”).

Obsolete Synonym of illustrious.

illustre

verb

Etymology From Middle English illustren, from Middle French illustrer (French illustrer), from Latin illūstrāre (“to illustrate”).

Obsolete To illuminate (something).

But, as the Phœnix on my Front doth gliſter, / Thou ſhalt the Finials of my Frame illuſtre.1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First Week, or Birth of the World: […].] The Fift Daie of the First Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 140:

Obsolete To make (someone) illustrious.

Derived terms: illustrated