Meaning & Definition of word "Phantom"

Phantom

/ˈfæntəm/

1. a ghost or a specter; an apparition.
- Example: He claimed to have seen a phantom wandering through the old castle.
2. something that has appearance but no reality; an illusion.
- Example: The phantom of happiness seemed out of reach.
3. a person or thing that is not real; someone who exists only in imagination or as an idea.
- Example: The phantom of his former self haunted him every day.

1. having no physical existence; ghostly.
- Example: The phantom presence was felt in the air, though no one was there.
2. illusory or deceptive.
- Example: They chased the phantom idea of fame without realizing the hard work it required.

Middle English, from Latin 'phantasma', from Greek 'phantasma' which means 'an appearance, image'.

phantom pain:

Pain felt in a limb that has been amputated.

phantom menace:

A hidden threat or danger.

phantom limb:

The sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still attached.

specter:

A visible incorporeal spirit.

illusion:

A thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted.

spook:

A ghost or spectral figure.

Meaning: A nonexistent or unverifiable product or feature.

Example Sentence: That new app is just a phantom; it was never really released.

Meaning: An unseen player in a game, often referenced in competitive settings.

Example Sentence: He's such a phantom on the field; he disappears and reappears when you least expect it.