# enlighten

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈlaɪtən/ · frequency rank #21,787

## Definitions
1. To supply with light.
2. To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to.

## Etymology
Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhtan (“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 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.

## Easily confused with
- **enlightened** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/enlighten-vs-enlightened)

## Common misspellings (14)
`elnighten`, `enilghten`, `enlgihten`, `enligghten`, `enlighetn`, `enlighhten`, `enlightenn`, `enlightne`, `enlightten`, `enligthen`, `enlihgten`, `enllighten`, `ennlighten`, `nelighten`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/enlighten