will-o'-the-wisp

/ˌwɪl ə ðə ˌwɪsp/
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Definitions of will-o'-the-wisp
  1. noun
    a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground
    synonyms: friar's lantern, ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern
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    type of:
    light, visible light, visible radiation
    (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
  2. noun
    an illusion that misleads
    synonyms: ignis fatuus
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    type of:
    fancy, fantasy, illusion, phantasy
    something many people believe that is false
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