allusion
[ uh-loo-zhuh n ]
/ əˈlu ʒən /
noun
a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication: The novel's title is an allusion to Shakespeare.
the act of alluding; the making of a casual or indirect reference to something: The Bible is a fertile source of allusion in art.
Obsolete.
a metaphor or parable.
Origin of allusion
OTHER WORDS FROM allusion
pre·al·lu·sion, nounWords nearby allusion
allston,
allude,
allure,
allurement,
alluring,
allusion,
allusive,
alluvial,
alluvial fan,
alluvial mining,
alluvial plain
Example sentences from the Web for allusion
British Dictionary definitions for allusion
allusion
/ (əˈluːʒən) /
noun
the act of alluding
a passing reference; oblique or obscure mention
Word Origin for allusion
C16: from Late Latin
allūsiō, from Latin
allūdere to sport with,
allude
Cultural definitions for allusion
allusion
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.