Enlightenment means knowledge or understanding of something, or the process of making somebody understand it. It can also refer to the 18th century period of intellectual and scientific progress in Europe. Enlightenment definition : the act of enlightening.. See examples of ENLIGHTENMENT used in a sentence. The Enlightenment was the period in the 18th century in Europe when particular thinkers began to emphasize the importance of science and reason rather than religion and tradition. The Enlightenment (Age of Reason) was a revolution in thought in Europe and North America from the late 17th century to the late 18th century. The Enlightenment involved new approaches in philosophy...