To hallucinate is to see, hear, feel, or smell something that seems real but is not actually there. Hallucinations can be caused by illness, drugs, extreme stress, or lack of sleep.
From Latin “hallucinari” or “alucinari,” meaning “to wander in mind, dream, rave.” The modern medical sense developed in the 19th century.
The original idea behind hallucinate was mental wandering—your mind drifting so far it starts inventing its own reality. When someone hallucinates, their brain is producing full-sensory “fake news” that feels absolutely real to them.
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