Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

allegory

/ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.07 in modern English

Syllables
al-le-gory
IPA
/ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The use of symbols which may be interpreted to reveal a hidden, broader message, usually a moral or political one, about real-world issues and occurrences; also, the interpretation of such symbols.

Uncountable

noun

A picture, story, or other form of communication in which one or more characters, events, or places are used to reveal a hidden, broader message about real-world issues and occurrences.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A character or thing which symbolically represents someone or something else; an emblem, a symbol.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A category that retains some of the structure of the category of binary relations between sets, representing a high-level generalization of that category.

Countable; Uncountable

verb

Synonym of allegorize.

Archaic; Transitive verb

verb

Synonym of allegorize.

Archaic; Transitive verb

verb

Synonym of allegorize.

Archaic; Transitive verb

verb

Synonym of allegorize.

Archaic; Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

The noun is derived from Late Middle English allegorie (“symbolic interpretation; symbolism; (Christianity) one of the four methods of interpreting the Bible”) + English -y (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a condition, quality, or state). Allegorie is borrowed from Anglo-Norman allegorie and Middle French allegorie (“narrative with a hidden meaning; such a meaning or its interpretation”) (modern French allégorie), and directly from their etymon Latin allēgoria (“figurative or metaphorical language, allegory; parable”) (whence Late Latin allēgoria (“allegorical interpretation of the Bible”)), from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓λληγορῐ́ᾱ (ăllēgorĭ́ā, “figurative or metaphorical language”), probably from ἀλληγορος (allēgoros, “allegorical”) (though only attested in Byzantine Greek) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Ἀλληγορος (Allēgoros) is derived from ᾰ̓́λλος (ắllos, “another; different”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“beyond; other”)) + ἠγόρ- (ēgór-, the imperfect stem of ἀγορεύω (agoreúō, “to speak in the assembly; to say, speak”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming certain inflections of adjectives); and ἀγορεύω (agoreúō) from ᾰ̓γορᾱ́ (ăgorā́, “assembly; assembly place; market place; speech”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ger- (“flock, herd; to gather”)) + -εύω (-eúō, suffix forming verbs). The verb is derived from the noun.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Prefix: -y
  • Root: *h₂el-, allegorie, allēgoria, ᾰ̓λληγορῐ́ᾱ, *h₂ger-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/
  • British English: /ˈælɪɡəɹi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce allegory?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/.
What does allegory mean?
The use of symbols which may be interpreted to reveal a hidden, broader message, usually a moral or political one, about real-world issues and occurrences; also, the interpretation of such symbols.
Where does allegory come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce allegory

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “allegory”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “allegory”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “allegory” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.