allusion

C2 Topic:Literature & Storytelling

US /əˈlu.ʒən/ See IPA manual

Freq #54818

Meanings

1

noun
An indirect mention of something the speaker expects you to recognize.

The poem contains a clear allusion to a Greek myth.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an indirect mention of... reference hint

Word family

Forms allusions

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

pointed allusion
an indirect reference whose intended target is clear, often carrying criticism

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin lūdō Latin allūdō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin allūsiōlbor. English allusion From Latin allūsiōnem, accusative singular of allūsiō (“the act of playing with”), from allūdō (“play with; allude”), from al-, combining form of ad (“to”), + lūdō (“play”): compare French allusion.

allūsiōnem Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Literature & Storytelling Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# allusion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈlu.ʒən/
**Frequency rank:** 54818

## Meanings
1. An indirect mention of something the speaker expects you to recognize.

## Examples
- The poem contains a clear allusion to a Greek myth.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: allūsiōnem

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin lūdō Latin allūdō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin allūsiōlbor. English allusion From Latin allūsiōnem, accusative singular of allūsiō (“the act of playing with”), from allūdō (“play with; allude”), from al-, combining form of ad (“to”), + lūdō (“play”): compare French allusion.

## AI Etymology
Allusion is from Latin allūsiōnem, accusative singular of allūsiō (“the act of playing with”), from allūdō (“play with; allude”), from al-, combining form of ad (“to”), + lūdō (“play”): compare French allusion. The historical chain records Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd, Proto-Italic *ad, Proto-Italic *ad-, Latin ad-, Latin lūdō, Latin allūdō, Proto-Indo-European *-tis, Proto-Italic *-tjō, Latin -tiō, Latin allūsiō, and English allusion. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include allūsiōnem (Latin). Current senses include an indirect mention of something the speaker expects you to recognize.

## Topics
- Literature & Storytelling
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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