Allegory Definition
ălĭ-gôrē
allegories
noun
allegories
The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
American Heritage
A story in which people, things, and happenings have a hidden or symbolic meaning.
Webster's New World
A story, picture, or play employing such representation. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick are allegories.
American Heritage
The presenting of ideas by means of such stories.
Webster's New World
A symbolic representation.
The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice.
American Heritage
Other Word Forms of Allegory
Noun
Singular:
allegory
Plural:
allegoriesOrigin of Allegory
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Middle English allegorie from Latin allēgoria from Greek from allēgorein to interpret allegorically allos other al-1 in Indo-European roots agoreuein to speak publicly (from agorā marketplace ger- in Indo-European roots)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Middle English allegorie, from Old French allegorie, from Latin allegoria, from Ancient Greek ἀλληγορία (allēgoria), from ἄλλος (allos, “other”) + ἀγορεύω (agoreuō, “I speak”)
From Wiktionary
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