illusion

[ih-loo-zhuhn]

noun

1. something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.

   Synonyms: chimera, fantasy, aberration

2. the state or condition of being deceived; misapprehension.

3. an instance of being deceived.

4. Psychology.,  a perception, as of visual stimuli optical illusion, that represents what is perceived in a way different from the way it is in reality.

5. a very thin, delicate tulle of silk or nylon having a cobwebbed appearance, for trimmings, veilings, and the like.

6. Obsolete.,  the act of deceiving; deception; delusion.

illusion

/ ɪˈluːʒən /

noun

1. a false appearance or deceptive impression of reality

   the mirror gives an illusion of depth

2. a false or misleading perception or belief; delusion

   he has the illusion that he is really clever

3. psychol a perception that is not true to reality, having been altered subjectively in some way in the mind of the perceiver See also hallucination

4. a very fine gauze or tulle used for trimmings, veils, etc

Other Word Forms

• illusioned adjective
• illusionary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of illusion¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English from Latin illūsiōn- (stem of illūsiō ) “irony, mocking,” equivalent to illūs(us), past participle of illūdere “to mock, ridicule” ( il- il- ¹ + lūd- play ( ludicrous ) + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of illusion¹

C14: from Latin illūsiō deceit, from illūdere; see _illude

Synonym Study

illusion, hallucination, delusion refer to false perceptions or ideas. An illusion is a false mental image produced by misinterpretation of things that actually exist: A mirage is an illusion produced by reflection of light against the sky. A hallucination is a perception of a thing or quality that has no physical counterpart: Under the influence of LSD, Terry had hallucinations that the living-room floor was rippling. A delusion is a persistent false belief: A paranoiac has delusions of persecution.

Example Sentences

His company has been developing illumination with higher-than-usual amounts of blue-enriched light, using faux windows that give the illusion of a blue sky outside and faux skylights that show blue sky with a virtual sun.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Walk around it, and the shifting, light-reflective and -absorbent white forms create an uncanny illusion of the pillar in jumpy, unstable motion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some retailers raise prices in the weeks before Black Friday, only to drop them again during the "sale", creating the illusion of a steep discount.

Read more on BBC

“It’s such an illusion,” Newman, 32, said of the home where she, her mother and her aunts all grew up.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

We have to grieve what’s been lost — relationships, trust, the illusion of safety — in order to understand what we still have and begin to rebuild anew.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• confusion 
• deception 
• delusion 
• fantasy 
• hallucination 
• image 
• misconception 
• myth 
• pipe dream 
• semblance