allusion

[ uh-loo-zhuh n ]
/ əˈlu ʒən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR allusion ON THESAURUS.COM

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

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

OTHER WORDS FROM allusion

pre·al·lu·sion, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH allusion

allusion reference allusion delusion elusion hallucination illusion (see synonym study at illusion)

Words nearby allusion

allston, allude, allure, allurement, alluring, allusion, allusive, alluvial, alluvial fan, alluvial mining, alluvial plain

Content related to allusion

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Words related to allusion

quotation, connotation, remark, inference, suggestion, innuendo, citation, insinuation, imputation, mention, charge, indication, statement, intimation, denotation, implication

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.