Allusion
An indirect reference or mention of something, often to a person, event, or literary work, without explicitly naming it.
nounAllusion
An indirect reference or mention of something, often to a person, event, or literary work, without explicitly naming it.
nounImagine This
Jack, the magician, not only tricks the eyes of his audience by illusion; he also tricks others’ ears when he is off stage. He refers things indirectly, never telling the straightforward fact, which makes people wonder what he means.
Sounds Like
uh-LOO-zhən
Looks Like
Looks similar to 'illusion' in spelling; the ending -usion is shared, but 'allusion' has an 'all-' prefix indicating reference rather than deception.
Remember This
Allusion is a subtle, indirect reference—remember that 'allude' means to refer indirectly, and 'allusion' is the noun form of that action.
Other Forms
Connect With
reference, mention, hint, implication, indirectness, alluding
Note
An allusion is not a direct quotation; it requires the reader to recognize the reference. Be careful not to confuse allusion with illusion, which is a misperception or deceptive appearance.
Study Deeper
- Her speech was filled with allusions to classic mythology.
- The novel makes several allusions to Shakespeare's Hamlet.
From Latin alludere 'to play with, to refer to indirectly' (ad- 'to' + ludere 'to play'); the noun form is allusion.
Mnemonic: Allusion = allude + -ion. To remember the meaning, recall that to allude is to refer indirectly, and adding -ion makes it a noun.
Next Word
Continue in alphabetical order.
Try a Random Word
Pick any word below to jump in.
Tenacity
nounThe quality of being persistent and determined; the ability to persevere and hold fast to a goal despite obstacles.
Politic
adjectiveHaving or showing good judgment, tact, and prudence in dealing with others; prudent and tactful in social or political matters.
Founder
nounA person who establishes a company, organization, or institution; someone who founds something.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).