different between enlighten vs edify

English

Etymology

Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inl?htan, onl?htan, enl?hten (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light +? -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic ???????????????????????????????????????? (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?la?t?n/, /?n?la?t?n/, /?n?la?t?n/
• Rhymes: -a?t?n
• Hyphenation: en?light?en

Verb

enlighten (third-person singular simple present enlightens, present participle enlightening, simple past and past participle enlightened)

1. (transitive) To supply with light.

   Synonyms: illumine, illuminate; see also Thesaurus:illuminate

   Antonym: endarken

2. (transitive, figuratively) To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to.

   Synonyms: apprise, notify, inform

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• ædify (archaic)

Etymology

From Old French edifier (“to build, to edify”), from Latin aedificare (“build”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??d?fa?/

Verb

edify (third-person singular simple present edifies, present participle edifying, simple past and past participle edified)

1. (now rare) To build, construct.
2. (transitive) To instruct or improve morally or intellectually.
   • January 23, 1783, Edward Gibbon, letter to Dr. Priestley

     It does not appear probable that our dispute [about miracles] would either edify or enlighten the public.

   • 1813, The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, Vol. VI, page 455

     That they ought to edify one another by maintaining and promoting the knowledge of truth.

   • 1641, Francis Bacon, A Wise and Moderate Discourse, Concerning Church-Affaires

     frustrate the best endeavours in the edifying of the church

Related terms

• edification
• edificator
• edifice
• edifier
• edifying

Translations

Anagrams

• deify