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.
the presenting of ideas by means of such stories
any symbol or emblem
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, agora