phantasm
Americannoun
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an apparition or specter.
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a creation of the imagination or fancy; fantasy.
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a mental image or representation of a real object.
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an illusory likeness of something.
- Synonyms:
- illusion, hallucination
noun
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a phantom
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an illusory perception of an object, person, etc
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(in the philosophy of Plato) objective reality as distorted by perception
Synonym Usage
See apparition.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of phantasm
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin phantasma, from Greek phántasma “image, vision” (akin to phantázein “to bring before the mind”); replacing Middle English fantesme, from Old French, from Latin as above
Explanation
If you've ever caught a glimpse of a ghostly figure late at night, you've seen a phantasm — something that only appears to exist. A phantasm is an apparition or ghost, something that seems very real when you see it but less so as time goes by. It's not real, but an illusion or brief hallucination that might be caused by a vivid dream, illness, or a lack of sleep. The Greek root is phantasma, "image or phantom," with in turn comes from phantazein, "to make visible."
Vocabulary lists containing phantasm
The Grim Reader: Wicked Words of Grave Importance for Halloween
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The Fault in Our Stars
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Grendel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Phantasm: Remastered Two brothers square off with the local mortician who has turned the dead into a legion of dwarf zombies in a remastered edition of the influential 1979 cult favorite.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2016
What was it like to see "Phantasm" in a room full of what I'm guessing were major fans?
From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2013
Why do you think "Phantasm" has maintained such a following?
From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2013
Also screening this week is the Spanish horror film "The Last Circus," screening Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 4 p.m., and "Phantasm 2" at 11 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2011
It reminded me of the killer floating spheres in the Phantasm films.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
