phantasmal

[fan-taz-muh l]

adjective

pertaining to or of the nature of a phantasm; unreal; illusory; spectral: phantasmal creatures of nightmare.

Also phan·tas·mic, phan·tas·mi·cal, phan·tas·mat·ic

[fan-taz-mat-ik] /ˌfæn tæzˈmæt ɪk/, phan·tas·mat·i·cal.

Origin of phantasmal

First recorded in 1805–15; phantasm + -al¹

Related formsphan·tas·mal·i·ty, nounphan·tas·mal·ly, phan·tas·mi·cal·ly, phan·tas·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Word Origin and History for phantasmatic

phantasmal

adj.

1813, from phantasm + -al (1). Related: Phantasmally.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper