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Mimic vs Illuminate - What's the difference?

mimic | illuminate |

As verbs the difference between mimic and illuminate

is that mimic is to imitate, especially in order to ridicule while illuminate is to shine light on something.

As nouns the difference between mimic and illuminate

is that mimic is a person who practices mimicry, or mime while illuminate is someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.

As adjectives the difference between mimic and illuminate

is that mimic is pertaining to mimicry; imitative while illuminate is (obsolete) enlightened.

mimic

English

Alternative forms

* mimick

Verb

  • To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=A better waterworks, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=5 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.}}
  • (biology) To take on the appearance of another, for protection or camouflage.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who practices mimicry, or mime.
  • An imitation.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Pertaining to mimicry; imitative.
  • *, II.12:
  • I think every man is cloied and wearied, with seeing so many apish and mimicke trickes, that juglers teach their Dogges, as the dances, where they misse not one cadence of the sounds or notes they heare.
  • * Milton
  • Oft, in her absence, mimic fancy wakes / To imitate her.
  • * Wordsworth
  • Mimic hootings.
  • Mock, pretended.
  • (mineralogy) Imitative; characterized by resemblance to other forms; applied to crystals which by twinning resemble simple forms of a higher grade of symmetry.
  • illuminate

    English

    Verb

    (illuminat)
  • To shine light on something.
  • To decorate something with lights.
  • To clarify or make something understandable.
  • To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.
  • (figurative) To make spectacular.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 2 , author= Phil McNulty , title=England 1-0 Belgium , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down.}}
  • To glow; to light up.
  • * 1994 , Sylvia Carlson, ?Verne Carlson, Professional Cameraman's Handbook (ISBN 024080080X), page 494:
  • Red diode in button illuminates when camera runs at speed set in five-digit speed selector.
  • * 2011'/'''2012 , "Spectrum", written by Florence Welch and Paul Epworth, performed by (Florence and the Machine), released on the album ''Ceremonials (2011):
  • Say my name / and every color illuminates. / We are shining /
  • To be exposed to light.
  • (military) To direct a (radar) beam toward.
  • Synonyms

    * *

    Derived terms

    * transilluminate * illuminator

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) enlightened
  • (Bishop Hall)
    ----