allusive
Americanadjective
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having reference to something implied or inferred; containing, abounding in, or characterized by allusions.
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Obsolete. metaphorical; symbolic; figurative.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of allusive
First recorded in 1595–1605; allus(ion) + -ive
Compare meaning
How does allusive compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Allusive means implying or indirectly suggesting something. If you broach the subject of your friend's strange hair cut in an allusive way, you hint around without ever directly referring to it. Modern dances are full of allusive movements and gestures — they symbolize or suggest deeper meanings. Poetry is often quite allusive too, using symbols and vague impressions rather than straightforwardly addressing a topic. It's easy to confuse allusive with elusive, which is pronounced the same way but means "difficult to find or achieve."
Vocabulary lists containing allusive
Stories of Ourselves
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The Lives of a Cell
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Eats, Shoots & Leaves
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The anonymous volume on the ‘Historical and Allusive Arms’ of British Families, noticed at page 162, is ascribed to Colonel De la Motte.
From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Lower, Mark Antony
The author of ‘Historical and Allusive Arms’ says that they branched out into three lines, called from the situation of their respective places of abode, Highmore, Middlemore, and Lowmore.
From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Lower, Mark Antony
The "Additional Prolusions," besides the articles on Rebuses, Allusive Arms, and the Roll of Battel Abbey, contain Dissertations on Inn Signs, and Remarks on Christian Names; with a copious Index of many thousand names.
From Notes and Queries, Number 30, May 25, 1850 by Various
V. A very interesting class of Allusive Arms is composed of those derived from the Situation of the original residences of the respective families.
From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Lower, Mark Antony
Allusive or discursive speech scared him like indecency; and I had used his gem but as a peg whereon flauntingly to hang it.
From The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne : a Novel by Locke, William John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
