noun, plural -nar⋅ies, adjective | 1. | a celestial body, as the sun or moon. |
| 2. | a body, object, etc., that gives light. |
| 3. | a person who has attained eminence in his or her field or is an inspiration to others: one of the luminaries in the field of medical science. |
| 4. | of, pertaining to, or characterized by light. |
lu·mi·nar·y (lōō'mə-něr'ē) n. pl. lu·mi·nar·ies
[Middle English, from Old French luminarie, from Latin lūmināre, to shine, from lūmen, lūmin-, light; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.] lu'mi·nar'y adj. |