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   il·lu·sion

   /iˈlo͞oZH(ə)n/

   noun

   • 1. a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses: "the illusion makes parallel lines seem to diverge by placing them on a zigzag-striped background" Similar miragehallucinationapparitionphantasmphantomvisionspecterfantasyfigment of the imaginationwill-o'-the-wisptrick of the lightignis fatuus
   • ▪ a deceptive appearance or impression: "the illusion of family togetherness" Similar appearanceimpressionimitationsemblancepretenseshamfalse appearancedeceptive appearancedeceptionmisperceptionrare:simulacrumOpposite reality
   • ▪ a false idea or belief: "he had no illusions about the trouble she was in" Similar delusionmisapprehensionmisconceptiondeceptionfalse impressionmistaken impressionfantasydreamchimerafool's paradiseself-deceptioncastles in the aircastles in Spainfallacyerrormisjudgmentfancy

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘deceiving, deception’): via Old French from Latin illusio(n-), from illudere ‘to mock’, from in- ‘against’ + ludere ‘play’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. illusional adjective
   • 2. illusionary adjective

   Scrabble Points: 8

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