Allusive, illusive, and elusive’ are all words with very identical meanings. They all have the same root term but don’t have the same meaning when used in phrases or speech.
They primarily differ from one other in terms of vowel sound at first. All of these words are derived from the Latin phrase ‘ludo.’
Key Takeaways
- “Allusive” means containing indirect references or hints, enhancing communication through subtle connections to other ideas or works.
- Elusive denotes something difficult to find, capture, or achieve, posing challenges for those seeking it.
- Illusive describes an experience or perception that appears real but isn’t, causing confusion or false impressions.
Allusive vs Elusive vs Illusive
The difference between allusive, elusive and ‘illusive’ is that “I mimic” or “I mock” is how the word “allusive” came into being. ‘Elusive,’ on the other hand, comes from the term “deceit.” However, on the contrary, “Illusive” comes from a word that means “to betray or deception.”
Allusive” starts with the Latin prefix “ad-,” which means “to.” ‘Allusive’ is an adjective with the basic term ‘allude.’ The adjective version of the term ‘Allusive’ is to imply someone or to allude to something in an indirect manner.
“The restaurant menu was so allusive that it contained photos of meals on every page” is a sentence formed with allusive.
The Latin prefix “e-” is utilised in “elusive,” and it means “to run from deception” or “to come out of.” ‘Elusive’, on the other hand, has an adjective root form of ‘elude.’
The adjective version of the term ‘Elusive,’ on the other hand, indicates shrugging off someone who can follow or flee anything. “The terrorists managed to avoid cops even after strong security” is an example of sentences made utilising elusive.
“Illusive” comes from a word that means “deceit.” “In-” is a Latin prefix that means “upon,” “at,” “to deceive,” and “illusion upon.” ‘Illusive’ is an adjective with the essential term ‘illusion.’
The word “illusion” is the root form of Illusive, and it refers to something that is imagined or appears to exist but does not. The nomads in the Atacama desert were illusive about ponds every 5 minutes distance,” for example, is a phrase made with the word illusive.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Allusive | Elusive | Illusive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | “I mimic”, ‘I mock” | “Deception” | “Deception” |
| Latin prefix used | “Ad-“ | “E-” | “In-“ |
| Latin prefix meaning | “To” | “out of”, getting out of depression | At, upon (to deceive, illusion upon) |
| Adjective base form | Allude | Elude | Illusion |
| Adjective form meaning | Suggesting someone, referring something indirectly | Shaking off a pursuer | To seem something that in reality is not. |
What is Allusive?
The word ‘allusive’ comes from the Latin phrase “I mimic” or “I mock.” “Allusive” is prefixed with the Latin prefix “ad-,” which means “to.” ‘Allusive’ has an adjective root form of ‘allude.’ The adjective version of the word ‘Allusive’ implies to imply someone or to refer to something indirectly.
This word is used widely in the language of English and in day-to-day conversations also. It is not limited to a certain meaning or use. “The terrorists managed to elude cops even after strong security” is a sentence formed with allusive.
Most of the time, the word “allusive” is mistaken and used as “elusive”. However, both the words and their usage are different from each other.
When a lawyer feels pity for his client’s situation, then the “allusive” word can be used. For example, the public prosecutor felt allusive about the defendant’s state and consequences.
What is Elusive?
The word ‘elusive’, on the other hand, comes from the word “deceit.” The Latin prefix “e-” is utilised in “elusive,” and it means “to flee from deception” or “to get out of.” The adjective base form of ‘Elusive’, on the other hand, is ‘elude.’
The adjective version of the term ‘Elusive,’ on the other hand, indicates shrugging off someone who can follow or flee from anything.
“The restaurant menu was so allusive that it contained photographs of food on every page,” says one line formed with elusive. Anything miraculous is referred to by this term.
Those maladies or matters, which are hard to understand, are referred to with the help of the word elusive. The word “allusive” is frequently misunderstood and replaced with “elusive.” However, the meanings of the words and how they are used differently.
What is Illusive?
The word “elusive” is derived from a word that means “deceit.” The Latin prefix “in-” is utilized in illusive, and it means “upon,” “upon,” “to deceive,” and “illusion upon.” The basic form of the adjective ‘illusive’ is ‘illusion.’
The word, Illusion is widespread yet popular in the English language and frequently used as well. It refers to something that isn’t real. For example, to the desert dwellers, sand appears as water to them, and it’s called a mirage, which is an illusion.
As there is no water present in nature, but everywhere, it’s just sand. If being ‘elusive’ is a set, then being ‘illusive’ is its subset.
“Illusion” is the original base form of Illusive, and it refers to something that is imagined or appears to be something that does not exist. “The nomads in the Sahara desert were elusive about water presence in every 5 minutes distance,” says one phrase constructed with illusive.
Main Differences Between Allusive, Elusive and Illusive
- The word ‘Allusive’ has been originated from the meaning of “I mimic” or ‘I mock.” However, the word ‘Elusive’ has been originated from the word “deception.” On the other hand, The word “Illusive” originated from the word meaning “deception.”
- The Latin prefix used in “allusive” is “ad-,” which comes in the meaning of ‘to.’ However, the Latin prefix used in “elusive” is “e-,” which comes in the meaning of fleeing; from deception or ‘out of.’ On the other hand, the Latin prefix used in illusive is “in-,” which comes in the meaning of “upon,” “at,” “to deceive,” and “illusion upon.”
- The adjective base form of ‘Allusive’ is ‘allude.’ However, the adjective base form of ‘Elusive’ is ‘elude.’ On the other hand, the adjective base form of ‘Illusive’ is ‘illusion.’
- The adjective form word ‘Allusive’ means suggesting someone or referring indirectly to something. However, the adjective form word of the word ‘Elusive’ means to shake off someone who has the potential to pursue or escape from something. On the other hand, The original base form of Illusive, which is “illusion,” refers to something that is imaginary or seems something that does not exist.
- A sentence formed with allusive and elusive is that ” the restaurant menu was so allusive that it had pictures of dishes on every page” and “the terrorists managed to elude cops even after high security.” On the other hand, a sentence formed with illusive can be said like, ” the nomads in Atacama desert were elusive about ponds in every 5 minutes distance”.
- https://cedar.wwu.edu/jec/vol14/iss1/1/
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/30091644
- http://www.lingref.com/cpp/hel-lex/2008/paper2168.pdf
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
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