IGNIS FATUUS


Meaning of IGNIS FATUUS in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈig-nəs-ˈfa-chə-wəs, -ˈfach-wəs ]

noun

( plural ig·nes fat·ui -ˌnēz-ˈfa-chə-ˌwī)

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

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.