Meaning & use
pareidolia
The tendency of the mind to perceive a familiar pattern, such as a face, in random or vague stimuli.
See it in a sentence
Seeing a face in the clouds is a classic example of pareidolia.
Pareidolia explains why people sometimes spot animal shapes in scattered rock formations.
A note on using this word
Pareidolia is a recognized psychological phenomenon, not a disorder; nearly everyone experiences it to some degree.
Words with a similar meaning
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