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# The Good Oil Word of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/the-good-oil-word-of-the-day-577/
- Published: 2026-03-14T17:15:22.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-14T17:15:21.000Z
- Author: David Theobald
- Tags: General, Word of the Day

The word for today is…

allegory (noun) -

1: the expression of truths or generalizations about human existence by means of symbolic figures and actions  
2: a symbolic representation

Source : [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegory?ref=goodoil.news)

Etymology : Allegory is the expression of truths or generalizations about human existence by means of symbolic fictional figures and their actions. It encompasses such forms as fable and parable. A metaphor, broadly, is figurative language; specifically, it is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. Aesop’s Fables are an example of allegory; "the ship plows the seas" is an example of metaphor. Personification allegory is a type of allegory in which a fictional character represents a concept or a type. The character Everyman in the medieval play of that name and the Lover in The Romance of the Rose are figures of personification allegory. Symbolic allegory is one in which a character or material thing is not merely a transparent vehicle for an idea, but also has a recognizable identity or a narrative autonomy apart from the message it conveys. The poet Virgil in Dante's Inferno, a historical figure representing human reason within the poem, is an example of a symbolic allegorical figure. A simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared, often introduced by like or as ("he had eyes like agates"). Allegory is a more or less symbolic fictional narrative that conveys a secondary meaning (or meanings) not explicitly set forth in the literal narrative. Parables, myths, and fables are all considered types of allegories.

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