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allegory definition

al·le·gory (al′ə gôr′ē)

noun pl. allegories -·ries

  1. 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.
  2. the presenting of ideas by means of such stories
  3. any symbol or emblem

Etymology: 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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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