First, let's look at that silent N in "limn." Why is it there? Probably for the same reason that "damn" has one: both words took a long journey from Latin through Old French and Middle English before they arrived in modern English, so they arrived looking a little odd.

Specifically, "limn" arose in English in the 1400s as a different form of "lumine," meaning the same thing as "lumine:" "to light up, or to illuminate." "Limn" and "lumine" trace back to a Middle English word that means "to light up," or less literally, "to illustrate written manuscripts." And they trace further back through Old French to the Latin lumen, meaning "light."

In the more literal senses, to limn something is to shine a light on it, making it visible, or to draw it, paint it, or illustrate it, as if you're shining a light on it.

But you can also limn something less literally, meaning you describe it or express it somehow, as if you're shining light on it with words, music, video, or some other means.

Part of speech:

Verb, the transitive kind: "The sunlight limns her face;" "Her face is limned by the sunlight."

Other forms: 

Limned, limning, limner(s).

There's not a commonly accepted noun form. You could use "limnation;" a few writers have! I imagine you'd pronounce it with a sounded N, "lim NAY shun," like you do with "damnation," "columnated," "hymnal," "autumnal" and so on. But I'm just making a guess here, as dictionaries don't list a noun for "limn."

how to use it:

"Limn" is somewhat rare, and it sounds lofty, artistic, and literary. You'll find it in erudite reviews of art, music, and literature. So if you're sure that you want to sound scholarly and cultured and extremely formal, then pick "limn," instead of more familiar synonyms like "draw," "light," "paint," "depict," and "delineate."

Say that some scene, object, or person is limned by sunlight, by moonlight, by lamplight, etc.

Or that some subject or character is limned a certain way by the artist, the writer, the director, or the composer.

Or, say that some light source limns something in a certain way: "The jagged horizon was limned with a coronalike glow that flickered and pulsed before my eyes" (Jon Krakauer).

examples:

"Perhaps inspired by his study of economics, [the writer] Miyazaki limns a society based on a ruthless and barren form of exchange, where human beings are bartered for seeds." 
   — Susan Napier, New York Times, 2 November 2022

"The Wall shimmered bright as a septon's crystal, every crack and crevasse limned by sunlight, as frozen rainbows danced and died behind translucent ripples."
   — George R. R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons, 2012

has this page helped you understand "limn"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "limn" without saying "illuminate" or "depict."

try it out:

Let's enjoy this hilarious snippet from Don Quixote, which serves as a reminder that if you use an overly literary term like "limn," you risk sounding ridiculous:

"Happy the age, happy the time," he continued, "in which shall be made known my deeds of fame, worthy to be moulded in brass, carved in marble, limned in pictures, for a memorial for ever..."

So he went on stringing together these and other absurdities, all in the style of those his books had taught him, imitating their language as well as he could; and all the while he rode so slowly and the sun mounted so rapidly and with such fervour that it was enough to melt his brains if he had any.

Ah ha ha!

So, we saw that it's ridiculous to use the word "limn" as you ride off into the sunrise, congratulating yourself for your future accomplishments.

Could you give another example of a situation or conversation in which you could use the word "limn," but you won't because it would be uppity and unnecessary?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for February: Word Choice Chuckles!

I’ll give you a snippet of text that I spotted in the wild, with one word or phrase removed and its meaning described. See if you can fill in a word or phrase that'll give the reader a good chuckle. Be cheesy. Be punny. Get in there and make me proud.

Here's an example:

"This comes at a time of _____ in the mattress industry." 
   — Dan Solomon, Texas Monthly, 15 December 2017

Meaning of the missing word: "strife."

Answer: "unrest."

Try this one today:

"_____! NYC mayor ticketed for rodents at his property again"
   — Associated Press, 4 January 2023

Meaning of the missing word: an expression of frustration.

To see the answer, scroll all the way down.

review this word:

1. A near opposite of LIMN is

A. CURVE.
B. ASCEND.
C. OBSCURE.

2. When you review a book, you could say that the author limns _____, as in this example from the New York Times: "_____."

A. the reader's interest or patience .. Novels of this length and variety often limn the reader's patience
B. a truism or an observation .. a Disney executive limned, 'The only thing truer than truth was the story'
C. a mood, a characteristic, or an event .. This sweeping debut novel limns the exile and return of a Cuban-American family

Answers to the review questions: 1. C 2. C Word Choice Chuckle: "Rats! NYC mayor ticketed for rodents at his property again"    — Associated Press, 4 January 2023

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.