illusionistn.
/ɪˈl(j)uːʒn̩ɪst/, /ɪˈl(j)uːʒənɪst/, U.S. /ᵻˈluʒənəst/ 1. One who holds the theory of illusionism; one who disbelieves in objective existence.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > subjectivism > [noun] > illusionism and its adherents
illusionism1843
illusionist1843
the argument from illusion1932
1843 Foreign Q. Rev. 2 343 While the pantheist and the illusionist are discussing systems, the masses enact that there is no God.
1862 F. Hall tr. N. N. Gore Rational Refut. Hindu Philos. Syst. 166 (note) It tells with equal relevancy in confutation of the illusionists (máyávádin) and crypto-Bauddhas (prachhannabauddha).
2. One who produces illusions; spec. a conjuror or sleight-of-hand performer.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > legerdemain, etc. > [noun] > juggler or conjurer
jugglera1100
tregetour1340
hey-passa1593
prestigiator1595
baffler1606
feat-worker1617
hocus-pocus1624
hocus1647
chirosophist1652
fascinator1677
legerdemain1696
prestidigitator1712
conjurer1727
sleight-of-hand man1757
nimble-fingers1781
sleight-of-hand professor1801
legerdemainist1830
magician1834
illusionist1850
jongleura1851
wizard1859
deceptionist1883
mentalist1906
1850 Punch 19 215/2 The novel trick of shifting the lectern, will be introduced by that celebrated illusionist, the Rev. Mr. Cozens.
1864 Daily Tel. 6 Sept. In compliance with a request from the illusionist, four gentlemen advanced from the body of the hall to co-operate in a portion of the evening's entertainments.
1894 Times 7 Aug. 6/2 The illusionist..succeeded in mystifying his audience by producing a living tree on a piece of glass.
3. (See quots.)
ΚΠ
1864 Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Illusionist, one given to illusion.
1883 Harper's Mag. Apr. 699/1 He [the impressionist] is a good antidote against the ‘illusionist’, who sees too much, and then adds to it a lot that he does not see.
Derivatives
illusioˈnistic adj. pertaining to illusionism or the illusionists.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deception by illusion, delusion > [adjective]
lyinga1225
deceptoryc1430
mockinga1529
sleight1533
prestigious?1534
illudinga1547
fallible1552
delusory1588
prestigiatory1588
illusory1599
delusive1607
deceptiousa1616
deludinga1616
flatteringa1616
delusorious1625
fallacious1626
ludificatorya1677
illusive1679
will-o'-the-wisp1682
prestigiating1716
shama1721
false1768
deceptitious1827
deceptional1830
phantasm1834
will-o'-the-wispish1842
will-o'-the-wispy1857
illusionistic1911
illusional1942
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > period, movement, or school of art > late 19th and 20th centuries > [adjective] > illusionist
illusionistic1911
1911 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 482/1 The lighting is carefully calculated with a view to illusionistic effect under the local conditions.
1938 Mod. Lang. Rev. 33 549 The tendency..to employ an illusionistic realism for the purpose of sensationalism..is what lies behind Wölfflin's conception of ‘baroque’.
1944 Burlington Mag. Aug. 199/1 Compared with this the Byzantine solution may still be called illusionistic.
1958 Times 24 Sept. 3/1 They [sc. Dali's pictures] are irritatingly artificial concoctions with passages..quite amazingly inept for a specialist in illusionistic devices.
1968 Times 21 Dec. 19/1 There was an upsurge of decorative architecture in Bavaria, Franconia and Swabia. It was illusionistic and what the writer calls ‘a-tactonic’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1843