Illuminati member / conspiracy theorist
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Illuminati member
A member of the historical Order of the Illuminati, a secret society founded in Bavaria in the 18th century that pursued Enlightenment goals.
Adam Weishaupt war der Gründer des Ordens der Illuminaten.
Adam Weishaupt was the founder of the Order of the Illuminati.
The word 'Illuminat' (Illuminati member) comes from the Latin 'illuminatus', meaning 'the enlightened one'. This refers to the Enlightenment goals pursued by the historical order.
Die Mitglieder des Ordens sahen sich selbst als die Erleuchteten ihrer Zeit.
The members of the order saw themselves as the enlightened ones of their time.
When referring to the historical secret society, the plural form 'die Illuminaten' (the Illuminati) is almost always used, because the reference is to the group as a whole.
Viele Mythen ranken sich um die geheimen Treffen der Illuminaten.
Many myths surround the secret meetings of the Illuminati.
The modern, colloquial meaning can be recognized by an ironic or derogatory tone. It appears in discussions about conspiracy theories, while the historical meaning is found in factual, historical texts.
Er glaubt an eine weltweite Verschwörung und hält alle Politiker für Illuminaten.
He believes in a worldwide conspiracy and thinks all politicians are Illuminati.
conspiracy theorist
'Verschwörungstheoretiker' and 'Illuminat' can both appear in the context of conspiracy theories. A 'Verschwörungstheoretiker' is a person who believes in secret plans by powerful groups or spreads such ideas. 'Illuminat' actually refers to a member of a historical order. Colloquially, however, it is often used ironically for someone who strongly believes in conspiracies, especially ones involving secret groups. The words can be confused because the 'Illuminaten' themselves often appear in conspiracy theories. 'Verschwörungstheoretiker' is neutral and precise; 'Illuminat' often sounds joking or ironic.
Nach seinen wilden Geschichten nannte ihn sein Bruder ironisch einen Illuminaten.
After his wild stories, his brother ironically called him an Illuminati member.
In der Diskussion behauptete der Verschwörungstheoretiker, eine geheime Gruppe kontrolliere die Medien.
In the discussion, the conspiracy theorist claimed that a secret group controls the media.