From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishillustrativeil‧lus‧tra‧tive /ˈɪləstreɪtɪv, -strət- $ ɪˈlʌstrətɪv/ AWL adjective 1 EXPLAINhelping to explain the meaning of somethingillustrative of The case is illustrative of a common pattern. For illustrative purposes, only a simple example is given here.2 having pictures, especially to help you understand something graphics and other illustrative material → illustrate
Examples from the Corpus
illustrative• Fry acknowledges the Brotherhood's opposition to the Royal Academy but finally, with regret, condemns the works as illustrative.• This may take the form of supporting evidence, additional explanation or illustrative details and examples.• illustrative diagrams of home repairs• These are for illustrative purposes only and can not be guaranteed by Midland Life.• Some element of classroom observation and practice is included and is important for illustrative purposes.• Writing of definitions and selection of illustrative quotations by junior staff.• His lectures are full of illustrative stories.• Inpart the sweetness in his illustrative work grows out of his delight in the physical nature of things.• Most of my illustrative work there involved straight forward plant portraiture, in both two and three dimensions. 