WEBThe Illuminati (/ ɪ ˌ l uː m ɪ ˈ n ɑː t i /; plural of Latin illuminatus, 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati , an Enlightenment -era secret society founded on 1 May 1776 in Bavaria , today part of Germany .