delusion

C2+ Topic:Psychology & Behavior

US /dɪˈluʒən/ UK /dɪˈluːʒən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a false belief held despite evidence to the contrary

He clung to the delusion that the company could still be saved.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a false belief held despite... misconception fallacy illusion fantasy misbelief deception hallucination

Opposites

reality truth fact

Word family

Derived forms delusionaldelusionary

Related forms delude delusive illusion elude

Etymology

From Latin delusio ('a deceiving'), from deludere ('to mock, deceive'), from de- ('down') + ludere ('to play'), from ludus ('game, play').

delusio Latin deludere Latin ludere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Psychology & Behavior Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# delusion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈluʒən/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈluːʒən/

## Meanings
1. a false belief held despite evidence to the contrary

## Examples
- He clung to the delusion that the company could still be saved.

## Synonyms
- misconception
- fallacy
- illusion
- fantasy
- misbelief
- deception
- hallucination

## Antonyms
- reality
- truth
- fact

## Derived Forms
- delusional
- delusionary

## Related Forms
- delude
- delusive
- illusion
- elude

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: delusio
- Root: deludere
- Root: ludere

## Etymology
From Latin delusio ('a deceiving'), from deludere ('to mock, deceive'), from de- ('down') + ludere ('to play'), from ludus ('game, play').

## AI Etymology
Delusion comes from Latin delusio ('a deceiving'), from deludere ('to mock, deceive'), from de- ('down') + ludere ('to play'), from ludus ('game, play'). The etymological trail includes Latin delusio, Latin deludere, and Latin ludere. As a noun, delusion names a false belief held despite evidence to the contrary. The same family is visible in derived forms such as delusional and delusionary and related forms such as delude, delusive, illusion, and elude. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Psychology & Behavior
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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