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Ignis fatuus   Listen
noun
Ignis fatuus  n.  (pl. ignes fatui)  
1.
A phosphorescent light that appears, in the night, over marshy ground, supposed to be occasioned by the decomposition of animal or vegetable substances, or by some inflammable gas; popularly called also Will-with-the-wisp, or Will-o'-the-wisp, and Jack-with-a-lantern, or Jack-o'-lantern. It is thought by some to be caused by phosphine, PH3, a sponaneously combustible gas.
2.
Fig.: A misleading influence; a decoy. "Scared and guided by the ignis fatuus of popular superstition."






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Ignis fatuus" Quotes from Famous Books



... almost a mile without either recovering a view of the light, or seeing anything resembling a habitation. Still, however, he thought it best to persevere in that direction. It must surely have been a light in the hut of a forester, for it shone too steadily to be the glimmer of an ignis fatuus. The ground at length became broken, and declined rapidly, and although Brown conceived he still moved along what had once at least been a pathway, it was now very unequal, and the snow concealing those breaches and inequalities, the traveller had one or two falls ...
— Guy Mannering • Sir Walter Scott



Words linked to "Ignis fatuus" :   friar's lantern, phantasy, illusion, jack-o'-lantern, fancy, visible light, will-o'-the-wisp, light



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