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Definition of enlightenment noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

enlightenment

noun
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnmənt/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnmənt/
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  1. [uncountable] knowledge about and understanding of something; the process of understanding something or making somebody understand it
    • The newspapers provided little enlightenment about the cause of the accident.
    • spiritual enlightenment
    Collocations ReligionReligionBeing religious
    • believe in God/​Christ/​Allah/​free will/​predestination/​heaven and hell/​an afterlife/​reincarnation
    • be/​become a believer/​an atheist/​an agnostic/​a Christian/​Muslim/​Hindu/​Buddhist, etc.
    • convert to/​practise a religion/​Buddhism/​Catholicism/​Christianity/​Islam/​Judaism, etc.
    • go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
    • go to the local church/​mosque/​synagogue/​gurdwara
    • belong to a church/​a religious community
    • join/​enter the church/​a convent/​a monastery/​a religious sect/​the clergy/​the priesthood
    • praise/​worship/​obey/​serve/​glorify God
    Celebrations and ritual
    • attend/​hold/​conduct/​lead a service
    • perform a ceremony/​a rite/​a ritual/​a baptism/​the Hajj/​a mitzvah
    • carry out/​perform a sacred/​burial/​funeral/​fertility/​purification rite
    • go on/​make a pilgrimage
    • celebrate Christmas/​Easter/​Eid/​Ramadan/​Hanukkah/​Passover/​Diwali
    • observe/​break the Sabbath/​a fast/​Ramadan
    • deliver/​preach/​hear a sermon
    • lead/​address the congregation
    • say/​recite a prayer/​blessing
    Religious texts and ideas
    • preach/​proclaim/​spread the word of God/​the Gospel/​the message of Islam
    • study/​follow the dharma/​the teachings of Buddha
    • read/​study/​understand/​interpret scripture/​the Bible/​the Koran/​the gospel/​the Torah
    • be based on/​derive from divine revelation
    • commit/​consider something heresy/​sacrilege
    Religious belief and experience
    • seek/​find/​gain enlightenment/​wisdom
    • strengthen/​lose your faith
    • keep/​practise/​practice/​abandon the faith
    • save/​purify/​lose your soul
    • obey/​follow/​keep/​break/​violate a commandment/​Islamic law/​Jewish law
    • be/​accept/​do God’s will
    • receive/​experience divine grace
    • achieve/​attain enlightenment/​salvation/​nirvana
    • undergo a conversion/​rebirth/​reincarnation
    • hear/​answer a prayer
    • commit/​confess/​forgive a sin
    • do/​perform penance
    Extra Examples
    • Seeking enlightenment, I asked one of my professors about the matter.
    • This is something about which we would welcome further enlightenment.
  2. the Enlightenment
    [singular] the period in the 18th century in Europe when many writers and scientists began to argue that science and reason were more important than religion and traditionTopics Historyc1, Religion and festivalsc1
See enlightenment in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee enlightenment in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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