English Dictionary

Definition of “phantasm”

Browse the English dictionary (A-Z)

phantasm (ˈfæntæzəm)

Definitions

noun

a phantom
an illusory perception of an object, person, etc
(in the philosophy of Plato) objective reality as distorted by perception

Alternative Forms

phanˈtasmal phanˈtasmic adjective phanˈtasmally phanˈtasmically adverb

Word Origin

C13: from Old French fantasme, from Latin phantasma, from Greek; related to Greek phantazein to cause to be seen, from phainein to show

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry

= phantom, spirit, shade, ghost, spectre, spook, apparition, wraith, revenant, eidolon,

= illusion, vision, hallucination, figment, chimera, smoke and mirrors, figment of the imagination

Usage examples

She looked troubled but shook her head; she said it was a phantasm and warned me to tell no one else.
Grace, C.L, A Shrine of Murders (1993)
O'Mahony, usually so calm and controlled, had to interrupt repeatedly to prevent Connolly from demolishing a phantasm.
Times, Sunday Times (2002)

Browse dictionary

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z