Phantom definition

făntəm
phantoms
See word origin
Frequency:
Believed to be real even though illusory.

A phantom pregnancy.

adjective
13
1
An image that appears only in the mind; an illusion.

Phantoms of a disturbed mind.

noun
12
5
Phantom is a ghost or something that seems to appear but that doesn't actually exist.

A ghost that haunts your house is an example of a phantom.

noun
4
1
Being a phantom limb.

A phantom arm.

adjective
4
1
Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality; a ghost or apparition; something elusive or delusive.
noun
2
0
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Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality; a ghost or apparition.
noun
6
5
Fictitious or nonexistent, often when intended to deceive.

Phantom employees on the payroll; deposits in a phantom bank account.

adjective
6
5
Any mental image or representation.

The phantoms of things past.

noun
2
1
Of, like, or constituting a phantom; not really existing; illusory.
adjective
2
1
The definition of a phantom is something that seems real but does not exist.

An example of a phantom is a phantom pain in an amputated leg.

adjective
1
0
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adjective
1
0
(medicine) A model of a human body or body part.
noun
1
1
Something that exists only in the mind; illusion.
noun
1
1
(medicine) A model of a human body or body part.
noun
1
1
An image that appears only in the mind; an illusion.
noun
1
1
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Phantom limb.

adjective
0
0
Nickname of the F-4B jet fighter flown by Marines in Vietnam.
pronoun
0
0
The comic The Phantom, and the character in it by the same name.
pronoun
0
0
Something feared or dreaded.
noun
0
1
A person or thing that is something in appearance but not in fact.

A phantom of a leader.

noun
0
1
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Believed to be real even though illusory.

A phantom pregnancy.

adjective
0
1
Being a phantom limb.

A phantom arm.

adjective
0
1
Resembling, characteristic of, or being a phantom.

Tales of a phantom ship haunting the bay.

adjective
0
2
Something that seems to appear to the sight but has no physical existence; apparition; vision; specter.
noun
0
2

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
phantom
Plural:
phantoms

Origin of phantom

  • Middle English fantom from Old French fantosme probably from Vulgar Latin phantauma from Greek dialectal phantagma from Greek phantasma phantasm

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle English fantom, fantum, from Old French fantosme, from Latin phantasma, from Ancient Greek φάντασμα (phantasma).

    From Wiktionary

Phantom Sentence Examples

  • The phantom shook his head in silent objection.

  • The story got really scary when it talked about the phantom that was seen in the old barn.

  • The phantom pointed to the pouch with the food cubes.

  • The phantom looked at her, then past her.

  • The phantom government maintained some appearance of power and dignity.

More sentences

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near phantom in the Dictionary