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pareidolia

ˌper-ˌī-ˈdō-lē-ə 4 syllables very rare

  1. noun.the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern

    • The scientific explanation for some people is pareidolia, or the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness. Think of the Rorschach inkblot test.

Origin

borrowed from German Pareidolie, from Greek par- + eídōlon "image, reflection" + German -ie.

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