English vocabulary · C1
Allegory
/ˈæl.ɪ.ɡɔːr.i/ · n.
It means a story where the characters and events stand for something else.
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Example sentences
- The book is an allegory about power and control.
- The farm becomes an allegory for a real country.
Word origin and roots
from Greek
- allos — other (from Greek)
- agora — public place (from Greek)
Synonyms and nuances
- symbol (a single object represents a larger idea)
- fable (animals teach a moral lesson)
- parable (a short story carries a moral)
Words with the same root
allos — other
- allergy — a reaction where the body responds to a harmless thing as if it were something else
- parallel — running beside but never meeting, from the idea of being on the other side
Lesson notes
Allegory. It means a story where the characters and events stand for something else. A hidden message told through a visible story.
Similar words are symbol, fable, and parable. Use allegory when a whole story carries a deeper meaning behind every part.
The book is an allegory about power and control. The farm becomes an allegory for a real country.
From Greek. Allos means other. Agora means public place. Speaking in public about one thing to mean another — that is allegory.