phantom
pronunciation
How to pronounce phantom in British English:
UK [ˈfæntəm]
How to pronounce phantom in American English:
US [ˈfæntəm]
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- Noun:
- a ghostly appearing figure
- something existing in perception only
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- Adjective:
- something apparently sensed but having no physical reality
Word Origin
- phantom
- phantom: [13] Like fancy and fantasy, phantom goes back ultimately to the Greek verb phantázein ‘make visible’, a derivative of phaínein ‘show’ (source also of English diaphanous and phenomenon [17]). From phantázein was derived the noun phántasma ‘apparition, spectre’, which passed into Latin as phantasma. This reached English in two separate forms: as phantom, via Old French fantosme; and as phantasm [13], via Old French fantasme. The latter formed the basis of the fanciful coinage (originally French) phantasmagoria [19]. Other related English words are emphasis and pant.=> diaphanous, emphasis, pant, phase, phenomenon
- phantom (n.)
- c. 1300, fantum "illusion, unreality," from Old French fantosme (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *fantauma, from Latin phantasma "an apparition" (see phantasm). The ph- was restored in English late 16c. (see ph). Meaning "specter, spirit, ghost" is attested from late 14c.; that of "something having the form, but not the substance, of a real thing" is from 1707. As an adjective from early 15c.
Example
- 1. Rolls-royce has unveiled an electric phantom at the geneva motor show .
- 2. In addition to its phantom like nature , such a universe would possess other rather startling features .
- 3. Others from the golden age are the medieval adventurer prince valiant and the mysterious , masked phantom .
- 4. The british brand behind the famous phantom says it 's producing a line of limited-edition cars celebrating the upcoming year of the dragon .
- 5. Just like the submarine emerging out of nowhere last month , however , large parts of beijing 's military modernisation programme often resemble a phantom until deployment of a new weapon actually begins .