Illusion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/

Definitions

1. A deceptive appearance or false impression created when the mind or senses misinterpret reality in ways that contradict actual facts
2. An erroneous perception arising from the brain's mishandling of genuine sensory information, producing a misleading mental image that conflicts with objective truth
3. A perception that does not accurately reflect reality, causing the mind to see something that is not really there ; a mistaken idea or belief that deceives understanding or judgment

Etymology: The Latin verb "illudere" was built from "in-", meaning "at" or "upon", and "ludere", meaning "to play", so its core sense was to play upon someone, to mock or trick them. A "illusion" was therefore first a deception or a mockery, something done to a person rather than a mistake in the mind. The noun passed into Old French as "illusion" and reached English from there, displacing the native English word "dwimmer", which meant something similar: a deluding or bewildering trick. The surprise here is how close the word stays to play and mockery. The Latin "ludere" also gave English "ludicrous" and "ludic", and it is the same root behind "prelude" and "interlude", both of which are literally things played before or between the main show. An illusion, in its origin, is a joke played on the senses, which is why the idea of a trick sits at the centre of the word long before anyone talked about the brain.

Synonyms: deception, mirage, fantasy

Antonyms: reality, truth