illusion
nounUK /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/ · US [ɪˈluː.ʒən]
Etymology From Old French illusion, from Latin illūsiō, from illūdere, from in- (“at, upon”) + lūdere (“to play, mock, trick”). Displaced native Old English dwimmer.
1
Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences A distortion of sensory perception where real stimuli lead to a false or misleading impression of reality.
- We saw what looked like a tiger among the trees, but it was an illusion caused by the shadows of the branches.
- Using artificial additives, scientists can create the illusion of fruit flavours in food.
1 more example
- You realize the sun don't go down it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round.2002, “Do You Realize??”, performed by The Flaming Lips:
2
A misapprehension; a belief in something that is in fact not true.
- Jane has this illusion that John is in love with her.
- Now if you feel that you can't go on / Because all of your hope is gone / And your life is filled with much confusion / Until happiness is just an illusion1967, Four Tops, “Reach Out I'll Be There”, in Reach Out:
3
A magician’s trick.
4
The state of being deceived or misled.
- Synonyms
- mirage, phantom, delusion, misapprehension, misbelief, misconception
- Derived terms
60 terms
argument from illusion, barber pole illusion, boomerang illusion, café wall illusion, clustering illusion, coffer illusion, comparative illusion, Cornsweet illusion, cutaneous rabbit illusion, Delboeuf illusion, disillusion, Ebbinghaus illusion, Ehrenstein illusion, end-of-history illusion, flash-lag illusion, frequency illusion, grand illusion, Hering illusion, illusionable, illusional, illusionary, illusion cake, illusioned, illusionette, illusionism, illusionist, illusionistic, illusionless, illusionlike, illusory, introspection illusion, irradiation illusion, Jastrow illusion, leaning tower illusion, money illusion, moon illusion, Müller-Lyer illusion, Oppel-Kundt illusion, optical illusion, Orbison illusion, Pac-Man illusion, Pinocchio illusion, Poggendorff illusion, Ponzo illusion, reillusion, ring-segment illusion, somatogravic illusion, stepping feet illusion, stopped clock illusion, Thatcher illusion, under the illusion, watercolor illusion, waterfall illusion, White's illusion, Wundt area illusion, Wundt illusion, Wundt-Jastrow illusion, Wundt's area illusion, Zoellner illusion, Zöllner illusion