illusion

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“
This illusion has been and still is of incalculable benefit to the human race.

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Definitions (21)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun An erroneous perception of reality.
  2. noun An erroneous concept or belief.
  3. noun The condition of being deceived by a false perception or belief.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (10)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (43)

  • "I think your illusion should be adequate to generate such an appearance, challenging as it may be." —  Geis of the Gargoyle
  • Well, not really, but the illusion was there as she soared ever higher She wished there were starships. —  AnalogSFF,April2006
  • Just as you discover the secret to a magic trick, the illusion is a little drab. —  Walt Mossberg
  • For example, in a fight scene the punches can be off by a foot or more but what really sells the illusion is the sound effect of a hard, fleshy hit. —  DV Guru
  • Participating in this illusion are all those television programs and movies which go out of their way to promote an image of men as at best, incompetent, and at worst, just plain violent. —  magic-city-news.com
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

delusion ·  vision ·  impression ·  notion ·  reality ·  mystery ·  emotion ·  manifestation ·  impulse ·  suggestion ·  ignorance ·  superstition

Used in the same contextWord Family

illusion:   illusions
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin illūsiō, illūsiōn-, from Latin, a mocking, irony, from illūsus, past participle of illūdere, to mock : in-, against; see in-2 + lūdere, to play; see leid- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = Dutch illusie = G. Danish Swedish illusion = French illusion = Provencal illusio = Spanish ilusion = Portuguese illusão = Italian illusione, from Latin illusio(n-), inlusio(n-), a mocking, jesting, irony, from illudere, inludere, past participle illusus, inlusus, play with, mock: see illude.
 

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/ɪˈljuzhɑn/
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