illusion
Use Illusion in a sentence
ʒən noun
1.
something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.
2.
the state or condition of being deceived; misapprehension.
3.
an instance of being deceived.
4.
Psychology. a perception, as of visual stimuli (optical illusion) that represents what is perceived in a way different from the way it is in reality.
5.
a very thin, delicate tulle of silk or nylon having a cobwebbed appearance, for trimmings, veilings, and the like.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Latin illūsiōn- (stem of illūsiō) irony, mocking, equivalent to illūs(us) past participle of illūdere to mock, ridicule (il- il-1 + lūd- play (see ludicrous) + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s) + -iōn- -ion
1300–50; Middle English < Latin illūsiōn- (stem of illūsiō) irony, mocking, equivalent to illūs(us) past participle of illūdere to mock, ridicule (il- il-1 + lūd- play (see ludicrous) + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
il·lu·sioned, adjective
Can be confused: allusion, delusion, elusion, hallucination, illusion (see synonym study at the current entry).
Synonyms
1. aberration, fantasy, chimera. illusion, hallucination, delusion refer to false perceptions or ideas. An illusion is a false mental image produced by misinterpretation of things that actually exist: A mirage is an illusion produced by reflection of light against the sky. A hallucination is a perception of a thing or quality that has no physical counterpart: Under the influence of LSD, Terry had hallucinations that the living-room floor was rippling. A delusion is a persistent false belief: A paranoiac has delusions of persecution.
1. aberration, fantasy, chimera. illusion, hallucination, delusion refer to false perceptions or ideas. An illusion is a false mental image produced by misinterpretation of things that actually exist: A mirage is an illusion produced by reflection of light against the sky. A hallucination is a perception of a thing or quality that has no physical counterpart: Under the influence of LSD, Terry had hallucinations that the living-room floor was rippling. A delusion is a persistent false belief: A paranoiac has delusions of persecution.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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|
Link To illusion
00:10
Illusion
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
illusion (ɪˈluːʒən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a false appearance or deceptive impression of reality: the mirror gives an illusion of depth |
| 2. | a false or misleading perception or belief; delusion: he has the illusion that he is really clever |
| 3. | psychol See also hallucination a perception that is not true to reality, having been altered subjectively in some way in the mind of the perceiver |
| 4. | a very fine gauze or tulle used for trimmings, veils, etc |
| [C14: from Latin illūsiō deceit, from illūdere; see | |
| il'lusionary | |
| —adj | |
| il'lusional | |
| —adj | |
| il'lusioned | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
illusion
mid-14c., "act of deception," from O.Fr. illusion "a mocking," from L. illusionem (nom. illusio) "a mocking, jesting, irony," from illudere "mock at," lit. "to play with," from in- "at" + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous). Sense of "deceptive appearance" developed in Eng. late 14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
illusion il·lu·sion (ĭ-l&oomacr;'zhən)
n.
An erroneous perception of reality.
An erroneous concept or belief.
The condition of being deceived by a false perception or belief.
Something, such as a fantastic plan or desire, that causes an erroneous belief or perception.
il·lu'sion·al or il·lu'sion·ar'y (-zhə-něr'ē) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
illusion
a misrepresentation of a "real" sensory stimulus-that is, an interpretation that contradicts objective "reality" as defined by general agreement. For example, a child who perceives tree branches at night as if they are goblins may be said to be having an illusion. An illusion is distinguished from a hallucination, an experience that seems to originate without an external source of stimulation. Neither experience is necessarily a sign of psychiatric disturbance, and both are regularly and consistently reported by virtually everyone.
Learn more about illusion with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
What hurts us is an illusion of knowledge that is empirically false.
He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth.
Since a rainbow is an optical illusion, it doesn't have an actual endpoint.
Trampling could even create the illusion of ancient sites where none really existed.
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