What does will-o'-the-wisp mean?

Definitions for will-o'-the-wisp
ˈwɪl ə ðəˈwɪspwill-o'-the-wisp

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word will-o'-the-wisp.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. friar's lantern, ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern, will-o'-the-wispnoun

    a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground

  2. will-o'-the-wisp, ignis fatuusnoun

    an illusion that misleads

ChatGPT

  1. will-o'-the-wisp

    A will-o'-the-wisp, also known as ignis fatuus, is a phenomenon often seen in marshy or swampy areas where it appears as a faint light that seems to move further away when approached. It's caused by the combustion of gases emitted by decomposing organic matter. Symbolically, it refers to a goal or person that is difficult to reach or catch, or something misleading or elusive.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Will-o'-the-wispnoun

    see Ignis fatuus

Wikidata

  1. Will-o'-the-wisp

    A will-o'-the-wisp or ignis fatuus are atmospheric ghost lights seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is said to recede if approached, drawing travellers from the safe paths. The phenomenon is known by a variety of names, including jack-o'-lantern, hinkypunk, and hobby lantern in English folk belief, well attested in English folklore and in much of European folklore.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Will-o'-the-wisp

    wil′-o-the-wisp′, n. the ignis-fatuus: any deluding person or thing.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of will-o'-the-wisp in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of will-o'-the-wisp in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of will-o'-the-wisp in a Sentence

  1. Vincent Van Gogh:

    One may have a blazing hearth in one's soul and yet no one ever come to sit by it. Passersby see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on the way.

  2. Vincent Van Gogh:

    There may be a great fire in our soul, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.

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"will-o'-the-wisp." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/will-o%27-the-wisp>.

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