hallucination

Where does the word "hallucination" come from? It comes from Latin alucinari, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Hallucination’s story begins in Latin: alucinari meant “to wander in mind.” The root of 'hallucinate'. It reached English by 1600s as hallucination. Settled as the English word for perceiving something not actually present. Today, hallucination means the perception of something not actually present, often a symptom of illness.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient alucinari "to wander in mind", the root of 'hallucinate'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s hallucination "perceiving something that isn't actually present", settled as the English word for perceiving something not actually present.