'allegorical' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'allēgorikos,' where 'allos' meant 'other' and 'agoreuein' meant 'to speak in public.'

'allēgorikos' transformed into the Latin word 'allegoricus,' and eventually became the modern English word 'allegorical' through Middle English.

Initially, it meant 'to speak in a way that conveys a different meaning,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.