1. A psychotic state of exaltation in which one has delusions and hallucinations of communion with supernatural or exalted beings: The patient Elke was described as being in a state of exalted illuminism when she claimed that she could heal the sick.
2. A system of belief in which the adherents assume that they have received special knowledge: The monks at the monastery adhered to a set of illuminisms which they felt provided them with exceptional spiritual experiences.