HALLUCINATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hallucination mean? 

• HALLUCINATION (noun)
  The noun HALLUCINATION has 3 senses:

1. illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder

2. a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea

3. an object perceived during a hallucinatory episode

  Familiarity information: HALLUCINATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HALLUCINATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("hallucination" is a kind of...):

delusion; psychotic belief ((psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hallucination"):

acousma; auditory hallucination (illusory auditory perception of strange nonverbal sounds)

pseudohallucination (an image vivid enough to be a hallucination but recognized as unreal)

trip (a hallucinatory experience induced by drugs)

visual hallucination (illusory visual perception)

Derivation:

hallucinate (perceive what is not there; have illusions)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

delusion; hallucination

Context example:

his dreams of vast wealth are a hallucination

Hypernyms ("hallucination" is a kind of...):

misconception (an incorrect conception)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hallucination"):

disorientation; freak out (a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug))

Derivation:

hallucinate (perceive what is not there; have illusions)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An object perceived during a hallucinatory episode

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

he refused to believe that the angel was a hallucination

Hypernyms ("hallucination" is a kind of...):

object (the focus of cognitions or feelings)

Derivation:

hallucinate (perceive what is not there; have illusions)

 Context examples 

Hallucinations can be caused by nervous system disease, certain drugs, or mental disorders.

(Hallucination, NCI Dictionary)

A disorder characterized by the acute and sudden development of confusion, illusions, movement changes, inattentiveness, agitation, and hallucinations.

(Delirium, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

I questioned him more fully than I had ever done, with a view to making myself master of the facts of his hallucination.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This leads to a reduction in psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions.

(Chlorpromazine, NCI Thesaurus)

Any naturally-derived or synthetic substance that can induce hallucinations.

(Hallucinogen, NCI Thesaurus)

Signs and symptoms include behavioral changes, hallucinations and dementia.

(Limbic Encephalitis, NCI Thesaurus)

This leads to reduction in psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions.

(Perphenazine, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient have hallucinations such as seeing false visions or hearing false voices?

(NPI - Hallucinations Such as Seeing False Visions or Hearing False Voices, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Severity of the hallucinations.

(NPI - Hallucinations Severity, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Frequency of the hallucinations.

(NPI - Hallucinations Frequency, NCI Thesaurus)