pareidolia — meaning in English

English meaning

• pareidolia noun The tendency to see a meaningful image, especially a face, in a random or ambiguous pattern such as clouds, wood grain or burnt toast.

Senses

pareidolia is used for these senses in English:

• pareidolia (psychology) The tendency to interpret a vague stimulus as something known to the observer, such as interpreting marks on Mars as canals, seeing shapes in clouds, or hearing hidden messages in music.

pareidolia — full definition

1. noun The tendency to see a meaningful image, especially a face, in a random or ambiguous pattern such as clouds, wood grain or burnt toast.
2. noun The same effect applied to sound, where random noise is heard as words or music.