n. The act of enlightening, or the state of being enlightened; attainment or possession of intellectual light; used absolutely, a lighting up or enlargement of the understanding by means of acquired knowledge and wisdom; more narrowly, an illumination of the mind or acquisition of knowledge with regard to a particular subject or fact.n. [Tr. G. aufklärung.] Independence of thought; rationalism, especially the rationalism of the eighteenth century.