An allegory is a story, poem, or painting in which the characters and events are symbols of something else. Allegories areoften moral, religious, or political.
The book is a kind of allegory of Latin American history. [+ of]
Synonyms: symbol, story, tale, myth More Synonyms of allegory
2. uncountable noun
Allegory is the use of characters and events in a story, poem, or painting to represent otherthings.
The poem's comic allegory was transparent.
allegory in British English
(ˈælɪɡərɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ries
1.
a poem, play, picture, etc, in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolize a deeper moral or spiritual meaning
2.
the technique or genre that this represents
3.
use of such symbolism to illustrate truth or a moral
4.
anything used as a symbol or emblem
Derived forms
allegorist (ˈallegorist)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French allegorie, from Latin allēgoria, from Greek, from allēgorein to speak figuratively, from allos other + agoreuein to make a speech in public, from agora a public gathering
allegory in American English
(ˈæləˌgɔri)
nounWord forms: pluralˈalleˌgories
1.
a story in which people, things, and happenings have a hidden or symbolic meaning
allegories are used for teaching or explaining ideas, moral principles, etc.
2.
the presenting of ideas by means of such stories
3.
any symbol or emblem
Word origin
ME allegorie < L allegoria < Gr allēgoria, description of one thing under the image of another < allos, other (see else) + agoreuein, to speak in assembly < agora, agora1
Examples of 'allegory' in a sentence
allegory
That has to do with the political allegory.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Have we been booked into an allegory?
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Both books employ allegory to convey core convictions.
Christianity Today (2000)
But the surrealism and political allegory into which this plucky show strays does not yet feel fully thought through.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
There's a political allegory in there somewhere.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But he also sought refuge in history, allegory and myth.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The Russian Revolution has proven itself to be fertile ground for allegory and myth.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
I wrote pages of criticism, pointing out that he had here a great moral allegory that the dream was obscuring.
Claire Harman ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (2005)
Two different systems, but it is not really a political allegory because it is sport, which requires competition.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
(noun)
Definition
a story, poem, or picture with an underlying meaning as well as the literal one
The book is a kind of allegory of the country's history.
Synonyms
symbol
To them the monarchy is a special symbol of nationhood.
story
a popular love story with a happy ending
tale
a collection of poems and folk tales
myth
a famous Greek myth
symbolism
emblem
The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.
fable
Each tale has the timeless quality of fable.
parable
the parable of the Good Samaritan
apologue
Additional synonyms
in the sense of emblem
Definition
an object or design chosen to symbolize an organization or idea
The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.
Synonyms
representation,
symbol,
mark,
sign,
type,
token
in the sense of fable
Definition
a story about mythical characters or events
Each tale has the timeless quality of fable.
Synonyms
legend,
myth,
parable,
allegory,
story,
tale,
apologue
in the sense of myth
Definition
a story about superhuman beings of an earlier age, usually of how natural phenomena or social customs came into existence