allusion

[ uh-loo-zhuhn ]

noun

1. a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication:

   The novel's title is an allusion to Shakespeare.

2. the act of alluding; the making of a casual or indirect reference to something:

   The Bible is a fertile source of allusion in art.

3. Obsolete. a metaphor or parable.

allusion

/ əˈluːʒən /

noun

1. the act of alluding
2. a passing reference; oblique or obscure mention

allusion

1. An indirect reference to some piece of knowledge not actually mentioned. Allusions usually come from a body of information that the author presumes the reader will know. For example, an author who writes, “She was another Helen,” is alluding to the proverbial beauty of Helen of Troy .

Other Words From

• preal·lusion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of allusion¹

First recorded in 1540–50; Late Latin allūsiōn- (stem of allūsiō ), equivalent to allūs(us), past participle of allūdere ( allude; al- + lūd- “play” + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of allusion¹

C16: from Late Latin allūsiō, from Latin allūdere to sport with, allude

Example Sentences

The definition of “innuendo,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “an oblique allusion.”

From The Daily Beast

One interpretation suggests he is the embodiment of whisky, a lewd allusion to a tenured tradition of Scottish alcoholism.

From The Daily Beast

From Cyrus on, however, it was all, to borrow another Biblical allusion, fire and brimstone.

From The Daily Beast

And near the end of the play, Seguin offered an allusion to Fiddler on the Roof, yelling, “Sunrise, sunset!”

From The Daily Beast

I never miss a chance to make an allusion to their similarity.

From The Daily Beast

With every allusion that Ramona made to the saints' statues, Alessandro's desire to procure one for her deepened.

From Project Gutenberg

The words are very old, and conveyed a certain religious and political allusion.

From Project Gutenberg

The story of Longius is very common; hence Chaucer readily introduced an allusion to it, though his original has no hint of it.

From Project Gutenberg

There are some other survivals in man of ancient structures to which a passing allusion must suffice.

From Project Gutenberg

There is an obvious allusion in this line to the common proverb—'As fain as fowl of a fair morrow,' which is quoted in the Kn.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• quotation