US /[ɪˈluː.ʒən]/ UK /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/
noun Freq #5298

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A false idea or belief about something.

    He still has the illusion that the team will win the championship.

  2. 2
    noun

    Something that appears to be real but is not.

    We saw what looked like a tiger among the trees, but it was an illusion caused by the shadows.

  3. 3
    noun

    A trick that makes you see something that isn't really there, as performed by a magician.

    The magician's most famous illusion made a car vanish from the stage.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a false idea or belief... misapprehensionmisbeliefmisconceptionfancy
2 noun · something that appears to... miragephantom
3 noun · a trick that makes you see... magic trick
Word family
Forms illusions
Derived forms disillusionillusionableillusionalillusionaryillusionedillusionetteillusionismillusionistillusionisticillusionlessillusionlikeillusory

Etymology

From Old French illusion, from Latin illūsiō, from illūdere, from in- (“at, upon”) + lūdere (“to play, mock, trick”). Displaced native Old English dwimmer.

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Topics

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