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A luminary is someone famous, or more often highly respected, for skill or knowledge in a field — a great scientist, a master musician, a leading doctor.
A luminary isluminary指的是 someone famous, or more often highly respected, for skill or knowledge in a field某個因為在某個領域的技能或學識而出名、或更常是備受尊敬的人 a great scientist像偉大的科學家 a master musician音樂大師 a leading doctor頂尖的醫生
The word is respectful and a little formal; you use it in writing, speeches, and news, not usually when chatting with a friend.
The word is respectful and a little formal這個詞帶著敬意、也有點正式 you use it in writing, speeches, and news用在寫作、演講和新聞裡 not usually when chatting with a friend平常和朋友聊天不太會用
Though actually, the tidy “famous person” gloss is a bit too wide: a luminary is admired for what they can do or what they know, not only for being seen.
Though actually不過其實, the tidy “famous person” gloss is a bit too wide「名人」這種簡單說法有點太籠統: a luminary is admired for what they can do or what they knowluminary受人推崇是因為他們會做什麼或懂什麼, not only for being seen而不只是因為被看見
Historically the word also meant a light, like a lamp or a body in the sky, because the Latin root is “light.” That old sense is rare now; the “respected person” sense is the one will meet.
Historically the word also meant a light這個詞在歷史上也指光 like a lamp or a body in the sky像燈或天上的星體 because the Latin root is “light.”因為拉丁字根就是「光」 That old sense is rare now那個舊的意思現在很少見 the “respected person” sense is the one learners will meet學習者會遇到的是「受尊敬的人」這個意思
組成From Late Middle English, borrowed from Old French luminarie / luminaire, from Medieval Latin lūminārium, from Latin lūmen (“light, brightness”) + -āris. First it named a lamp or a light in the sky; the “respected person” sense grew from that “source of light” picture.
同家族的字
- luminousboth come from Latin lūmen, light
- illuminatesame Latin light root: to light something up
原始詞典資料3 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
luminarynoun/ˈluːmɪn(ə)ɹi/
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One who is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in one's chosen field; a leading light.
- For more than a decade, forces on the ideological extremes have torn at the global political fabric. And for just as long, the luminaries at the World Economic Forum have fretted about how dangerous that phenomenon is — for the businesses they lead and the countries they govern.
- 2
A body that gives light; especially, one of the heavenly bodies.
- […] then firſt adornd / With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Roſe, / Glad Evening & glad Morn crownd the fourth day.
- The first eye of consequence (under the invisible Author of all) is the visible luminary of the universe.
- 3
archaicAn artificial light; an illumination.
- [T]he Sun of Righteouſneſs [Jesus Christ], when, on the nations of thoſe who are ſaved, he ariſes with healing under his wings, ſhall ſcatter by his brightneſs, every cloud which ſat around them. To the diſtant influence of this powerful luminary on the heart, its regeneration is at preſent owing. But, when every intervening object is removed, and the Chriſtian placed in the light of his countenance, all imperfection flies away.
- [page 378] The paper read was on "The Electric Light applied to Lighthouse Illumination," by Mr. J[ames] N[icholas] Douglass, M. Inst. C.E. The author showed the progress of lighthouse luminaries from wood and coal fires to the introduction of tallow candles, fatty oils, mineral oils, coal gas, and electricity. […] [page 381] on more frequent occasions, when the oil luminary would be visible at about eight miles and a-half, the electric light would be visible at the full range of 17 miles.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。