illusion English · revision 15148

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1340|origins=la lūdō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪˈluː.ʒən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|illusioun]], [[bor|fro|illusion|t=a mocking, deceit]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|illūsiō|t=a mocking, jesting, irony]], from [[m|la|illūdō|t=to mock at]], literally “to play with”, from [[m|la|in-|t=at, upon]] and [[m|la|lūdō|t=to play]] (see [[ludicrous]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Mockery or derision: about 1350 in Barnhart, the mid-14th century in Etymonline, 1382 in the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The OED also has the deceiving of the eye by a false appearance from about 1340.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense of a deceptive appearance developed in Church Latin.^(Etymonline) It is in Chaucer's House of Fame, about 1380,^(Barnhart 1988) and a thing that deceives is from about 1374.^(OED 1989) Being deluded by appearances is from 1571,^(OED 1989) and a false perception of an external object from 1774.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) The chief modern sense, a false idea or belief, dates from the late 18th century.^(Cresswell 2021) A thin transparent tulle was called illusion from 1857,^(OED 1989) and philosophers' ''argument from illusion'' is from 1932.^(OED 1989) Illusory is from before 1631, in Donne, and illusive from 1679.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1340 – deceiving the eye.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1350 – mockery.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1631 – illusory.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1774 – a false perception.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1857 – a fine tulle.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1932 – the argument from illusion.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A false appearance or deceptive impression: ''an illusion of depth''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A false or mistaken belief; a [[delusion]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(psychology)'' A perception altered in the mind of the perceiver so that it does not match reality.^(Collins 2023)

+ # A very fine gauze or [[tulle]].^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[illusional]]

+ * [[illusionless]]

+ * [[illusioned]]

+ * [[disillusion]]

+ * [[illusionary]]

+ * [[illusionism]]

+ * [[illusionist]]

+ * [[illusory]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[delusion]]

+ * [[ludicrous]]

+ * [[allude]]

+ * [[elude]]

+ * [[prelude]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}