Word
hallucination
Phoneticshal·lu·ci·na·tion, stress on the fourth syllable
US/həˌɫusəˈneɪʃən/
UK/hɐlˌuːsɪnˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. a feeling or image that you see, hear, or feel in your mind when there is nothing there. It is like seeing or hearing something that is not real.
n. a sensory perception that occurs without any external stimulus. It is often used to describe a mental state where a person experiences sights, sounds, or sensations that are not present in reality.
Examples
“He had a hallucination of hearing his mother's voice.”
“The patient reported a vivid hallucination of a bright light in the room, though no one else saw it.”
“In the final stages of the illness, the patient experienced complex hallucinations that blurred the line between memory and reality, making it difficult for caregivers to provide consistent support.”
Examples
simple
“He had a hallucination of hearing his mother's voice.”
contextual
“The patient reported a vivid hallucination of a bright light in the room, though no one else saw it.”
complex
“In the final stages of the illness, the patient experienced complex hallucinations that blurred the line between memory and reality, making it difficult for caregivers to provide consistent support.”
Real-World Examples
“Chatbots can make mistakes or entirely make things up – called “hallucinations” in the AI field – while showing great confidence in these inaccuracies.” “In addition to the risk of hallucinations, uploading an unpublished manuscript to a chatbot that may retain the data could constitute a breach of confidentiality, says Chris ChoGlueck, a philosopher at New Mexico Tech.” “So far so polemical, but the appeal of Kushner’s play is the way it blurs into the mythic with its feverish hallucinations.” Etymology
Derives from the verb hallucinate, from Latin hallucinatus. Compare French hallucination. The first known usage in the English language is from Sir Thomas Browne.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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