illustration

drawing, illustration, cartoon, diagram, picture, sketch, painting, portrait

这些名词都表示“画，图”之意。
drawing: 指用线条或色彩绘成的图画。
illustration: 指插入书页之间帮助说明的任何插图或图解。
cartoon: 指幽默或讽刺性漫画。
diagram: 多指科技书籍或文献中具有概括解说作用的图表、图样或略图。
picture: 指广义的“图画”，现多用来指相片、画像。
sketch: 通常只指画出物体主要特征的图画。
painting: 指着色的画。
portrait: 指肖像，只用于指人。

名词 illustration:

1. artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
2. showing by example
   同义词：exemplification
3. an item of information that is representative of a type
   同义词：example, instance, representative
4. a visual representation (a picture or diagram) that is used make some subject more pleasing or easier to understand

1. This illustration shows a section through the timber.
   本图所示为木材的纵剖面。
2. Find the year of your birth on the illustration.
   在插图上找一找你出生的年分。
3. The text is accompanied by illustration.
   正文附有插图。
4. Serving as an illustration; typical.
   典范的作为例证的; 代表性的
5. To give a definition of a word is more difficult than to give an illustration of its use.
   给一个词下定义要比举例说明它的用法困难。
6. Children like books filled with illustrations.
   孩子们喜欢插图丰富的书。

il.lus.tra.tion

n.Abbr. ill.,illus.（名词）缩写 ill.,illus.

The act of clarifying or explaining.
说明，解释：说明或解释的行为
The state of being clarified or explained.
被说明或解释后的状态
Material used to clarify or explain.See Synonyms at example
例证：被用来说明或解释的材料参见 example
Visual matter used to clarify or decorate a text.
图解，图示：用来解释或装饰书本的视觉材料
Obsolete Illumination.
【废语】 照亮

【引伸】
il.lustra.tional
adj.（形容词）