* Early Language: While we have records of written language going back thousands of years, the usage of specific words can be difficult to track. There's no central database that records the first time every word was used.
* Evolution of Language: Language is constantly evolving, so words change meaning and usage over time. It's possible the word "allusion" existed in a different form or with a slightly different meaning in earlier texts.
However, we can give you some historical context:
* Origin of the Word: The word "allusion" comes from the Latin word "allusio," meaning "a playing at, a jesting, a hinting at."
* First Recorded Use (Approximate): The Oxford English Dictionary lists the first recorded use of the word "allusion" in English in the 15th century.
If you want to find examples of "allusion" in use, you can look at:
* Dictionaries: Many dictionaries include historical information on word origins and first known usages.
* Corpus Linguistics: These resources analyze large collections of texts to track language patterns and changes.
Let me know if you have other questions about the word "allusion" or the history of language!