Definitions for illusion
ɪˈlu ʒənil·lu·sion

Princeton's WordNet(3.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. illusion, semblancenoun

   an erroneous mental representation

2. illusion, fantasy, phantasy, fancynoun

   something many people believe that is false

   "they have the illusion that I am very wealthy"

3. delusion, illusion, head gamenoun

   the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas

4. magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic, legerdemain, conjuration, thaumaturgy, illusion, deceptionnoun

   an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. illusionnoun

   Anything that seems to be something that it is not.

2. illusionnoun

   A misapprehension; a belief in something that is in fact not true.

   Jane has this illusion that John is in love with her.

3. illusionnoun

   A magician's trick.

4. illusionnoun

   The fact of being an illusion (in any of the above senses).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illusionnoun

   an unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination

2. Illusionnoun

   hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charning; enchantment; witchery; glamour

3. Illusionnoun

   a sensation originated by some external object, but so modified as in any way to lead to an erroneous perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for thunder

4. Illusionnoun

   a plain, delicate lace, usually of silk, used for veils, scarfs, dresses, etc

Freebase(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illusion

   An illusion is a distortion of the senses, revealing how the brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. While illusions distort reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may occur with more of the human senses than vision, but visual illusions, optical illusions, are the most well known and understood. The emphasis on visual illusions occurs because vision often dominates the other senses. For example, individuals watching a ventriloquist will perceive the voice is coming from the dummy since they are able to see the dummy mouth the words. Some illusions are based on general assumptions the brain makes during perception. These assumptions are made using organizational principles, like Gestalt, an individual's ability of depth perception and motion perception, and perceptual constancy. Other illusions occur because of biological sensory structures within the human body or conditions outside of the body within one’s physical environment. The term illusion refers to a specific form of sensory distortion. Unlike a hallucination, which is a distortion in the absence of a stimulus, an illusion describes a misinterpretation of a true sensation. For example, hearing voices regardless of the environment would be a hallucination, whereas hearing voices in the sound of running water would be an illusion.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Illusion

   il-lū′zhun, n. a playing upon: a mocking: deceptive appearance: false show: error.—n. Illū′sionist, one who is subject to illusions: one who produces illusions, as sleight-of-hand tricks, for entertainment.—adjs. Illū′sive, Illū′sory, deceiving by false appearances: false.—adv. Illū′sively.—n. Illū′siveness. [See Illude.]

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. illusion

   Song lyrics by illusion -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by illusion on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'illusion' in Nouns Frequency: #2618

How to pronounce illusion?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say illusion in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of illusion in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of illusion in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of illusion in a Sentence

1. Lewis Lapham:

   Unlike any other business in the United States, sports must preserve an illusion of perfect innocence. The mounting of this illusion defines the purpose and accounts for the immense wealth of American sports. It is the ceremony of innocence that the fans pay to see -- not the game or the match or the bout, but the ritual portrayal of a world in which time stops and all hope remains plausible, in which everybody present can recover the blameless expectations of a child, where the forces of light always triumph over the powers of darkness.

2. Aydan Ozoguz:

   It was an illusion to think that cutting off Mare Nostrum would prevent people from attempting this dangerous voyage across the Mediterranean.

3. H.W. Mann:

   I see through the illusion. I see you. And I cannot help but love what I see

4. Joan B. Campbell:

   Jesus' ministry was clearly defined, and the alternatives to the illusion and temptations of the desert were spelled out. A choice was made--life abundant, full, and free for all. Make no mistake about it, the day that choice was made, Jesus became suspect. That day in the temple he sealed the fate already prepared for him. How was the world to understand one who rejected an offer of power and control

5. James Scott:

   The illusion of time and space that has been introduced by those who want to commodities and monetize on the time and space of others.

Images & Illustrations of illusion

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