illusion

From Old French illusion, from Latin illūsiō, from illūdere, from in- (“at, upon”) + lūdere (“to play, mock, trick”). Displaced native Old English dwimmer.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/
• (General American) enPR: ĭ-lo͞o'zhən, IPA^(key): [ɪˈluː.ʒən]
• (Conservative RP) IPA^(key): /ɪˈl(j)uːzj(ə)n/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːʒən

illusion (countable and uncountable, plural illusions)

1. (countable) Anything that seems to be something that it is not.

   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.

   • 2002, The Flaming Lips, Do You Realize??

     You realize the sun don't go down it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round.

2. (countable) A misapprehension; a belief in something that is in fact not true.

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

3. (countable) A magician’s trick.
4. (uncountable) The state of being deceived or misled.

• (the state of being deceived or misled): misapprehension

• mirage

From French illusion, from Latin illūsio.

illusion c (singular definite illusionen, plural indefinite illusioner)

1. illusion

• IPA^(key): /i.ly.zjɔ̃/

• Audio (France, Paris)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ̃
• Homophone: illusions

illusion f (plural illusions)

1. illusion

• illusoire
• illusoirement

• “illusion” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• IPA^(key): /ɪlɵˈɧuːn/

• Audio

  (file)

illusion c

1. an illusion

• illusorisk

• illustration
• illustrera
• synvilla
• trick