illusion
A distortion of sensory perception where real stimuli lead to a false or misleading impression of reality.
Noun
- A distortion of sensory perception where real stimuli lead to a false or misleading impression of reality.
- We saw what looked like a tiger among the trees, but it was an illusion caused by the shadows of the branches.
- Using artificial additives, scientists can create the illusion of fruit flavours in food.
- You realize the sun don't go down it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round. - 2002, “Do You Realize??”, performed by The Flaming Lips:
- A misapprehension; a belief in something that is in fact not true.
- Now if you feel that you can't go on / Because all of your hope is gone / And your life is filled with much confusion / Until happiness is just an illusion - 1967, Four Tops, “Reach Out I'll Be There”, in Reach Out:
- Jane has this illusion that John is in love with her.
- A magician’s trick.
- The state of being deceived or misled.
Origin
From Old French illusion, from Latin illūsiō, from illūdere, from in- (“at, upon”) + lūdere (“to play, mock, trick”). Displaced native Old English dwimmer.
Forms
Synonyms
mirage phantom delusion misapprehension misbelief misconception
Derived
argument from illusion barber pole illusion boomerang illusion café wall illusion clustering illusion coffer illusion comparative illusion Cornsweet illusion cutaneous rabbit illusion Delboeuf illusion disillusion Ebbinghaus illusion Ehrenstein illusion end-of-history illusion flash-lag illusion frequency illusion grand illusion Hering illusion illusionable illusional illusionary illusion cake illusioned illusionette