allusion

noun

al·lu·sion ə-ˈlü-zhən

Synonyms of allusion next

: an implied or indirect reference especially in literature

a poem that makes allusions to classical literature

also : the use of such references

: the act of making an indirect reference to something : the act of alluding to something

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What is the word origin of allusion?

Allusion was borrowed into English in the 16th century. It derives from the Latin verb alludere, meaning "to play with," "to jest," or "to refer to," as does its cousin allude, meaning "to make indirect reference" or "to refer." Alludere, in turn, derives from a combination of the prefix ad- ("to or toward") and ludere ("to play"). Ludere is a Latin word that English speakers have enjoyed playing with over the years, creating collude, delude, elude, and prelude, just to name a few.

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Allusion and Illusion

Allusion and illusion may share some portion of their ancestry (both words come in part from the Latin word ludere, meaning “to play”), and sound quite similar, but they are distinct words with very different meanings. An allusion is an indirect reference, whereas an illusion is something that is unreal or incorrect. Each of the nouns has a related verb form: allude “to refer indirectly to,” and illude (not a very common word), which may mean “to delude or deceive” or “to subject to an illusion.”

Examples of allusion in a Sentence

There are lots of literary echoes and allusions in the novel, but they don't do anything for the tired texture of the prose. —

Tony Tanner, New York Times Book Review, 6 Apr. 1997

So while the former engineering professor with an IQ reportedly tipping 180 enjoys bombarding his staff with math wizardry, scientific jargon and computerese, he also drops frequent allusions to his baseball card and stamp collections … —

Maureen Dowd, New York Times Magazine, 16 Sept. 1990

To my ear this is a beautiful reenactment of the prose of the antebellum South, with its careful grammar, its stately cadences, and its classical allusions and quotations. —

Cleanth Brooks, The Language of the American South, 1985

The lyrics contain biblical allusions. She made allusion to her first marriage.

Recent Examples on the Web In addition, digital media gives the allusion that subscribers own the content when they can be taken offline at any time. —

Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023 Unfortunately, screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer doesn’t appear interested in exploring, even obliquely, the literary allusions in the plot. —

Ilan Stavans, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2023 Despite brief allusions to Bobby’s upbringing in an abusive home, and occasional flashbacks to his point-blank kills, Elordi mostly suggests a wannabe James Dean poseur, even before Jim uses that comparison to help endear him to a pair of Tulsa sisters (Alexandra and Nicolette Doke). —

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 June 2023 This fan favorite is replete with British place-specific name-checks, shipping forecast allusions, soaring choruses, and an epic Coxon guitar solo. —

Jonathan Cohen, Spin, 9 Aug. 2023 The immense self-loathing with which the record introduces itself finds no clear resolution by the end, despite many allusions on otherwise-peppy songs. —

Clayton Purdom, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2023 Look out for the many allusions to the story of Adam and Eve, references to the classic musicals of Hollywood’s golden era, and critiques of capitalism. —

Time, 11 July 2023 But how do these allusions to the Garden relate to a belief in magic? —

Ron Charles, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2023 The book is unpretentious in its erudition, yet filled with allusions and galvanized by a passion for literature and theater, with Chekhov, Sam Shepard, and Thornton Wilder forming a kind of holy trinity of artistic influences. —

Priscilla Gilman, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'allusion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.