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Pareidolia: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Pareidolia noun. The habit of seeing faces or meaningful shapes in random things, such as clouds or plug sockets.
How to say it
parr-eye-DOH-lee-uh/ˌparʌɪˈdəʊlɪə/ · American /ˌpɛraɪˈdoʊliə/
5 syllables, stressed on the third (DOH).
Pareidolia in a sentence
Thanks to pareidolia, the front of every car seems to be smiling or scowling at you.
A face in a slice of toast is pareidolia, not a miracle.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
Where pareidolia comes from
From Greek para-, beside or amiss, and eidōlon, an image.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
A face in a slice of toast is _____, not a miracle.
- pareidolia
- ullage
- griffonage
Show the answer
pareidolia: A face in a slice of toast is pareidolia, not a miracle.