enlightenment

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun History Academic

n. a period in the 1700s when European thinkers began to emphasize science, reason, and individual rights.

n. the 18th-century intellectual movement that advocated for reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy.

“Many modern ideas about democracy and human rights come from the Enlightenment.”

“Scholars often debate the extent to which the Enlightenment influenced the political upheavals of the late eighteenth century.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Religion Technical

n. in some religions, a state of perfect knowledge or peace where you understand the truth about life.

n. the attainment of ultimate spiritual knowledge or insight, particularly within Buddhist or Hindu traditions.

“He spent years meditating in the mountains in search of enlightenment.”

“The path to enlightenment in Zen Buddhism requires disciplined practice and the transcendence of the ego.”