allegory
Allegory (noun) means a story, picture, or other work whose characters and events stand for a deeper, often moral or political, meaning. Example: “Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution.”
How to use allegory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA story that works on two levels — the surface plot, and a hidden deeper meaning it represents.
Word forms
allegoried past tense, allegories plural, allegories singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Animal Farm is an _____ for the Russian Revolution.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek allegoria, "speaking in a different way" — combining allos ("other") with a verb meaning "to speak publicly," so literally "saying one thing while meaning another."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for allegory
See all rhymes for allegory →Frequently asked questions
What does “allegory” mean?
The word “allegory” means a story, picture, or other work whose characters and events stand for a deeper, often moral or political, meaning. In plain terms, a story that works on two levels — the surface plot, and a hidden deeper meaning it represents.
How do you pronounce “allegory”?
“Allegory” is pronounced A-lih-guh-ree (/ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “allegory” in a sentence?
Here is “allegory” used in a sentence: “Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution.”
What part of speech is “allegory”?
“Allegory” is a noun.
Where does the word “allegory” come from?
The word “allegory” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek allegoria, "speaking in a different way" — combining allos ("other") with a verb meaning "to speak publicly," so literally "saying one thing while meaning another.".
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