Pronunciation: ' ig-n ə s- ' fa-ch ə -w ə s, - ' fach-w ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ig · nes fat · ui \ - ˌ n ē z- ' fa-ch ə - ˌ w ī \
Etymology: Medieval Latin, literally, foolish fire
Date: 1563
1 : a light that sometimes appears in the night over marshy ground and is often attributable to the combustion of gas from decomposed organic matter
2 : a deceptive goal or hope