n. | 1. | Act of enlightening, or the state of being enlightened or instructed. |
2. | same as AufklÄrung. |
Noun | 1. | enlightenment - education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge Antonyms: unenlightenment - a lack of understanding |
2. | enlightenment - (Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire and suffering and individual consciousness Synonyms: Nirvana | |
3. | Enlightenment - a movement in the 18th century that advocated the use of reason in the reappraisal of accepted ideas and social institutions Synonyms: Age of Reason |