illusoryadj.
/ɪˈl(j)uːsəri/ Having the quality of illuding or tending to deceive by unreal prospects; of the nature of an illusion; illusive. In first quot. as n. = an illusory or illusive thing; an illusion.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of imagination > fancy or fantastic notion > deceptive fancy or illusion > [adjective]
phantom?c1450
fairy1549
illusory1599
scenical1610
illusive1679
amusive1727
barmecidal1844
illusionary1886
illusional1900
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
1599 Queen Elizabeth I Let. in R. Nares Gloss. To trust him uppon pledges is a meare illusorye.
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1962) X. 51 A false, an illusory, and a sinfull comfort.
1690 R. Boyle Refl. Theol. Distinction §2.2 in Christian Virtuoso It is not an Arbitrary or Illusory Distinction.
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature I. 25 The illusory offspring of the imagination.
1866 J. Martineau Ess. Philos. & Theol. 1st Ser. 256 The promise is for the present illusory.
1866 J. E. T. Rogers Hist. Agric. & Prices I. xxv. 621 The price given..is illusory.
1883 J. A. Froude Short Stud. IV. iii. 256 Much illusory physiology was based on this hypothesis.
Derivatives
iˈllusorily adv. in an illusory manner, by an illusion.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deception by illusion, delusion > [adverb]
prestigiously1593
illusorilya1631
deludingly1641
delusively1646
deceptiously1797
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1958) IX. 65 That that Pilat did illusorily..wash his hands from the bloud of any of these men.
1898 Westm. Gaz. 1 Sept. 2/1 The way in front was illusorily barred by swiftly flowing water.
iˈllusoriness n. deceptiveness of appearance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deception by illusion, delusion > [noun] > delusive nature
fallacy1646
prestigiousness1646
delusivenessa1652
deceptive1652
phantastry1656
unsolidnessa1684
illusiveness1727
illusoriness1727
deceptiveness1837
1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Illusoriness.
1870 F. W. Farrar Families of Speech iii. 119 The utter illusoriness of the accidental resemblances in the unborrowed words.
1880 J. Caird Introd. Philos. Relig. v. 136 This very feeling of the instability and illusoriness of the world.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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adj.1599