allegorical

adjective

al·​le·​gor·​i·​cal ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl 

-ˈgär-

1

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of allegory

allegorical paintings

allegorical meanings of images

allegorical symbols of our culture

2

: having hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text

allegorically

ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈgär-

adverb

allegoricalness

ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl-nəs 

-ˈgär-

noun

Examples of allegorical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The original series used diverse crews and allegorical storytelling to champion inclusion, collaboration and optimism — tenents that continue today. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The half-dozen allegorical sculptures gathered in the new museum—The Lions, Liberty, Progress, Work, Peace, and Justice—were commissioned for Buenos Aires’s Palace of the Argentine National Congress in 1906. — News Desk, Artforum, 13 Aug. 2026

Depicting the rise and spectacular fall of an Anglo- and Euro-centric civilization, the series was originally presented as an allegorical warning about imperial expansion to the then-young nation. — Cat Dawson, ARTnews.com, 3 July 2026

And most ephemeral but perhaps most affecting were the shows that say something about our country and culture through their nuanced and often allegorical storytelling. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

allegoric "allegorical" (borrowed from Late Latin allēgoricus, borrowed from Greek allēgorikós, from allēgoría allegory + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for allegorical

• ahistorical
• metaphorical
• oratorical
• unhistorical
• historical
• rhetorical
• sociohistorical