allegory
UK[ˈæləɡəri]US[ˈæləɡɔːri]
n
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
n
a symbol.
Morpheme Breakdown
alle
gory
alle
other
gory
speaking
Etymology
the word 'allegory' originates from the greek 'allegoria', a compound of 'allos' (other) and 'agoreuein' (to speak publicly). it entered english via latin 'allegoria' and old french 'allegorie'. the term's literal meaning, 'other speaking', perfectly captures its function: a narrative that says one thing on the surface but conveys a different, often deeper, meaning. this rhetorical device evolved from classical literary and philosophical traditions where stories served as vehicles for abstract ideas, moral lessons, or political commentary, solidifying its modern sense as a work of symbolic representation.
Analysis
Structure: alle (other) + gory (speaking)
alle from greek 'allos' meaning 'other'. gory from greek 'agoria' meaning 'speaking, oration', from 'agoreuein' (to speak in the assembly).
Examples
george orwell's "animal farm" is a famous political allegory about the russian revolution.
the medieval poem often uses the allegory of a perilous journey to represent the christian soul's path to salvation.
the painting is not just a landscape; it's a complex allegory of the artist's grief.