Illustrative
ɪˈlʌstrətɪv
Definitions
Serving to illustrate or explain something; serving as an example.
ɪˈlʌstrətɪv
Serving as an example or explanation
The teacher used an illustrative diagram to explain the parts of a cell.
💡 Simply: Illustrative is like showing examples to make something clearer. Imagine you're explaining how to bake a cake, and you show pictures of the steps – those pictures are illustrative!
👶 For kids: When something is illustrative, it's like when you show a picture to help explain what you're talking about.
More Examples
The book provided several illustrative case studies to demonstrate the theory.
The presentation included illustrative charts to visualize the trends.
Her speech offered an illustrative anecdote to connect with the audience.
How It's Used
"The professor provided an illustrative example to clarify the complex concept."
"The report contains illustrative data to support the findings."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
illustrative of
Serving as an example or demonstration of something.
"The recent market crash is illustrative of the inherent risks in speculative investments."
From Late Latin *illustrativus*, from *illustrare* ('to illuminate, explain'), from Latin *in-* ('in, on') + *lustrare* ('to purify, make bright').
The word 'illustrative' has been used since the 17th century to denote something that serves to explain or exemplify.
Memory tip
Think of ILLUSTRATIVE as providing ILLUSTRATIONS to help explain something.
Word Origin
"to illuminate, explain"