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mirage
The definition of a mirage is an optical illusion, something that you believe you see but that isn't really there.
(noun)An example of a mirage is when you believe you see water or a ship in the desert when it isn't really there.
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See mirage in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- an optical illusion in which the image of a distant object, as a ship or an oasis, is made to appear nearby, floating in air, inverted, etc.: it is caused by the refraction of light rays from the object through layers of air having different densities as the result of unequal temperature distributions
- something that falsely appears to be real
Origin: Fr < (se) mirer, to be reflected < VL mirare, to look at, for L mirari: see miracle
See mirage in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called fata morgana.
- Something illusory or insubstantial.
Origin:
Origin: French
Origin: , from mirer, to look at
Origin: , from Latin mīrārī, to wonder at
Origin: , from mīrus, wonderful; see smei- in Indo-European roots
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