Having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook; spiritually aware or intellectually awakened. Describes someone who has gained wisdom, understanding, or spiritual insight.
From Middle English enlighten, from en- (to cause to be) and lighten (to illuminate), ultimately from Old English leoht (light). The metaphorical use of 'light' for knowledge and wisdom appears in many cultures. The philosophical sense developed during the Age of Enlightenment in the 17th-18th centuries.
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