illustrativeadj.
/ˈɪləstrətɪv/, /ˈɪləstreɪtɪv/, /ɪˈlʌstrətɪv/, U.S. /ᵻˈləstrədɪv/, /ˈɪləˌstreɪdɪv/ 1. Serving or tending to illustrate, make clear or elucidate; explanatory, elucidatory; affording an illustration or example; exemplificatory. Const. of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > [adjective]
explanativea1500
expositive1535
resolutory1567
interpretative1569
expounding1571
illustrating1589
explanatory1600
explicative1602
explicatory1606
expository1628
clarifying1630
illustrative1643
luciferous1648
omnilucent1651
explaining?1683
illustratorya1734
elucidatory1774
elucidative1822
irradiativea1834
expositional1845
resolvent1856
enucleating1862
expositionary1882
luminant1891
interpreting1892
clarificatory1945
FYI1973
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > an individual case or instance > [adjective] > of or relating to exemplification > serving as an illustration
exemplary1639
illustrative1643
1643 Sir T. Browne Religio Medici (authorized ed.) i. §45 Unspeakable mysteries in the Scriptures are often delivered in a vulgar and illustrative way. View more context for this quotation
1792 M. Wollstonecraft Vindic. Rights Woman vi. 260 Till some fortuitous circumstance makes the information dart into the mind with illustrative force.
1828 Cole Scarborough Collector 1 The following paragraphs, illustrative of the accompanying etching.
1867 S. Smiles Huguenots Eng. & Ireland ii. 25 The life of Palissy..is eminently illustrative of his epoch.
1869 R. Browning Ring & Bk. III. ix. 213 Lest ye miss a point illustrative.
1869 J. Tyndall Notes 9 Lect. on Light §110 Taking, as an illustrative case, the passage from air into water.
ΚΠ
1686 J. Goad Astro-meteorologica ii. xii. 320 Bright and Illustrative, as Pliny said but now.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1643