Phantom

/ˈfæntəm/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a ghost or a specter; an apparition.

He claimed to have seen a phantom wandering through the old castle.

something that has appearance but no reality; an illusion.

The phantom of happiness seemed out of reach.

a person or thing that is not real; someone who exists only in imagination or as an idea.

The phantom of his former self haunted him every day.

adjective

having no physical existence; ghostly.

The phantom presence was felt in the air, though no one was there.

illusory or deceptive.

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.

A nonexistent or unverifiable product or feature.

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

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

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