allusion

noun

al·​lu·​sion ə-ˈlü-zhən How to pronounce allusion (audio)
1
: an implied or indirect reference especially in literature
a poem that makes allusions to classical literature
also : the use of such references
2
: 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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But some of those allusions to unproductive mornings and squinting unpreparedness belie an unease with the endeavor of book reviewing itself. Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 Musical theater is the most American art form that exists, all dazzle and jazz hands, but Fitzgerald’s novel draws its power from the lightness of its allusions. Lauren Groff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2024 But Malaparte’s descendants saw Porte Jacquemus’s quiet allusion to the Casa in photographs of the Met Gala that night and invited him to visit. Nathan Heller, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2024 The Rings of Power is full of echoes and allusions to the original trilogy. James Grebey, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for allusion 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin allūsiōn-, allūsiō, from Latin allūdere "to play or romp beside, make a playful allusion to" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at allude

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allusion was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near allusion

Cite this Entry

“Allusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allusion. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

allusion

noun
al·​lu·​sion ə-ˈlü-zhən How to pronounce allusion (audio)
: a reference made to something that is not directly mentioned
the book contains many allusions to earlier books
allusive adjective
allusively adverb
allusiveness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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