(adj.adv.) : illustris (inl-), e (
* Nom. sing. masc. illuster. Val. Max. 4, 1, 5; 4, 3, 11), adj. inlustro, lighted up, clear, bright, light, lustrous (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.).
* Lit.: ostendebat Carthaginem de excelso et pleno stellarum, illustri et claro quodam loco, Cic. Rep. 6, 11; cf.: tum nec nimis illustres nec vehementer obscuros locos haberi oportet,Auct. Her. 3, 19, 32: locus,Cels. 3, 6: habitare bonis et illustribus domiciliis,Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95: balnearia,Col. 1, 6, 2: illustris et pellucida stella,Cic. Div. 1, 57, 130: radii solis,Plin. 18, 35, 78, § 344: noctes,id. 9, 16, 23, § 56: caelum,Val. Fl. 6, 528.—Comp.: ostio et lumine illustriore,Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 5; cf.: solis candor illustrior est quam ullius ignis,Cic. N. D. 2, 15, 40: (ventus) tegulas illustriores fecit,Plaut. Rud. 1, 1, 6.
* Trop.
* Clear, plain, distinct, evident, manifest (syn. clarus): praeter haec, quae testata sunt et illustria, habeo multa occultiora,Cic. Fam. 11, 27, 6: his rationibus tam certis tamque illustribus, etc.,id. Rep. 1, 3; cf.: illustribus igitur rebus insistis ... a certis et illustrioribus cohibes assensum,id. Ac. 2, 29, 94: nec vero ita disseram de re tam illustri tamque nota, ut, etc.,id. Rep. 1, 24 Mos.: factum illustre notumque omnibus,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 13, § 34: visus insignis et illustris,id. N. D. 1, 2, 15 fin.: illustris oratio est, si, etc. ... est enim haec pars orationis, quae rem constituat paene ante oculos ... est plus aliquanto illustre quam illud dilucidum: altero fit, ut intelligamus, altero vero ut videre videamur,id. Part. Or. 6, 20: si desit illustris explanatio, propositio, etc.,Quint. 9, 2, 2: instruenda est vita exemplis illustribus,Sen. Ep. 83.
* Distinguished, respectable, famous, honorable, illustrious (cf.: clarus, insignis, spectabilis, nobilissimus, celeber, inclutus): homines illustres honore ac nomine,Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 5, 18: illustrium hominum aetates et tempora persequi (shortly after: de clarorum virorum laudibus),Cic. Brut. 19, 74: illustribus in personis temporibusque,id. Rep. 2, 31 fin.: orator,id. Brut. 32, 122: poëtae,Quint. 5, 11, 36: florens et illustris adulescens,Caes. B. G. 7, 32, 4: de antiquis illustrissimus quisque pastor erat,Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6: philosophorum illustrissimi,Gell. 18, 7, 3: feminae,noble,Suet. Tib. 45; id. Calig. 36: cum illustribus provinciarum,id. Caes. 48: quorundam illustrium exsequiae,id. Tib. 32: paterfamiliae illustriore loco natus,Caes. B. G. 6, 19, 3: Themistoclis nomen est quam Solonis illustrius,Cic. Off. 1, 22, 75: vitae ratio illustrior,id. Rep. 3, 3; cf.: sunt illustriora quae publice fiunt,id. ib. 3, 12: haec vides quanto expressiora quantoque illustriora futura sint,id. Fam. 1, 7, 9: major atque illustrior res,more important, more remarkable,Caes. B. G. 7, 3, 2: causarum illustrium quascumque defendi nunc conficio orationes,Cic. de Sen. 11, 38.—Hence, adv. (acc. to II. A.), clearly, distinctly, perspicuously (very rare; only comp. and sup.): illustrius,Cic. Fam. 10, 19, 1; id. Dom. 11, 27; Arn. 2, 44: illustrissime descripsit,Gell. 9, 13, 4.

s. TLL