luminary
/ˈluməˌnɛɹi/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.39 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
One who is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in one's chosen field; a leading light.
noun
A body that gives light; especially, one of the heavenly bodies.
Example Sentences
- "For more than a decade, forces on the ideological extremes have torn at the global political fabric. And for just as long, the luminaries at the World Economic Forum have fretted about how dangerous that phenomenon is — for the businesses they lead and the countries they govern."
- "[…] then firſt adornd / With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Roſe, / Glad Evening & glad Morn crownd the fourth day."
- "The first eye of consequence (under the invisible Author of all) is the visible luminary of the universe."
- "The Intercourſe between God and his Soul was as conſtant and periodical as the Riſing and Setting of the Great Luminary of Heaven; […]"
- "For all things, even Celestial Luminaries, much more atmospheric meteors, have their rise, their culmination, their decline."
- "[T]he Sun of Righteouſneſs [Jesus Christ], when, on the nations of thoſe who are ſaved, he ariſes with healing under his wings, ſhall ſcatter by his brightneſs, every cloud which ſat around them. To the diſtant influence of this powerful luminary on the heart, its regeneration is at preſent owing. But, when every intervening object is removed, and the Chriſtian placed in the light of his countenance, all imperfection flies away."
Etymology
From Late Middle English lūminārī, lūminārīe (“lamp; source of spiritual light, example of holiness; glory”), borrowed from Old French luminarie (“lamp, lights, lighting; candles; brightness, illumination”), variant of luminaire (“light fixture”) (modern French luminaire), from Medieval Latin lūminārium, from lūmināre (“that which gives light; light; lamp; body giving light, especially a heavenly body”), from lūmen (“light; brightness”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“bright; to shine”)) + -āris (suffix forming adjectives indicating a relationship or a pertaining to). Doublet of luminaire.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈluməˌnɛɹi/
- British English: /ˈluːmɪn(ə)ɹi/