1660s, "action of enlightening," from enlighten + -ment. Used only in figurative sense, of spiritual enlightenment, etc. Attested from 1865 as a translation of German Aufklärung, a name for the spirit of independent thought and rationalistic system of 18c. Continental philosophers.
For the philosophes, man was not a sinner, at least not by nature; human nature -- and this argument was subversive, in fact revolutionary, in their day -- is by origin good, or at least neutral. Despite the undeniable power of man's antisocial passions, therefore, the individual may hope for improvement through his own efforts -- through education, participation in politics, activity in behalf of reform, but not through prayer. [Peter Gay, "The Enlightenment"]
实用例句
1. Stella had a moment of enlightenment.
斯特拉豁然开朗。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The newspapers provided little enlightenment about the cause of the accident.
报章对事故原因并未解释清楚。
来自《权威词典》
3. The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment.
社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. I gained a good deal of enlightenment from him.
我从他那里获得许多启发.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. A person with enlightenment knows the value of education.
