Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

phantom

1. phan.tom \'fant-*m\ n [ME fantosme, fantome, fr. MF fantosme, modif. of 
   L phanta]sma 1a: something (as a specter) apparent to sense but with no 
   substantial exis tence : APPARITION 1b: something elusive or visionary : 
   WILL- '-the-wisp  1c: an object of continual dread or abhorrence : BUGBEAR  
   2: something existing in appearance only : SHADOW  3: a representation of 
   something abstract, ideal, or incorporeal 
2. phantom aj 1: of the nature of, suggesting, or being a phantom : 
   ILLUSORY  2: FICTITIOUS, DUMMY {~ voters}