Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

aufklärung

Noun

[ˈaʊ̯fˌklɛːʁʊŋ]

Definition

The term ‘Aufklärung’ refers to the Enlightenment, a movement characterized by an emphasis on reason, scientific thinking, and individualism, primarily in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Examples

The Aufklärung encouraged critical thinking and skepticism of established institutions.
Many philosophers of the Aufklärung period wrote about human rights and democracy.
Educators during the Aufklärung sought to make knowledge accessible to more people.

Meaning

Aufklärung is the German word for Enlightenment, signifying an era of intellectual growth and a departure from tradition and religious authority towards reason and empirical evidence.