illusory
pronunciation
How to pronounce illusory in British English:
UK [ɪˈlu:səri]
How to pronounce illusory in American English:
US [ɪˈlusəri, -zəri]
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- Adjective:
- based on or having the nature of an illusion
Word Origin
- illusory (adj.)
- 1590s, from French illusorie, from Late Latin illusorius "ironical, of a mocking character," from illus-, past participle stem of Latin illudere "mock at," literally "to play with," from assimilated form of in- "at, upon" (see in- (2)) + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous).
Example
- 1. Some of europe 's fiscal improvements were illusory , however .
- 2. Just as the threat of weapons of mass destruction proved illusory in iraq , so the sinking of the battleship uss maine in havana harbour , the pretext for intervention in cuba , was not a spanish plot but , he insists , almost certainly a shipboard accident .
- 3. Inventing an illusory problem can only distract from the important job of addressing the real ones .
- 4. If that factor is so elusive , who is to say it isn 't entirely illusory ?
- 5. Shareholders of banks were raped by the staff , who paid themselves extravagant sums out of illusory profits .