will-o'-the-wisp

[ wil-uh-thuh-wisp ]
See synonyms for will-o'-the-wisp on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. anything that deludes or misleads by luring on.

Origin of will-o'-the-wisp

1
1600–10; originally Will (i.e., William) with the wisp;see wisp

Other words from will-o'-the-wisp

  • willo'-the-wispish; especially British, willo'-the-wispy, adjective

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British Dictionary definitions for will-o'-the-wisp

will-o'-the-wisp

/ (ˌwɪləðəˈwɪsp) /


noun
  1. Also called: friar's lantern, ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern a pale flame or phosphorescence sometimes seen over marshy ground at night. It is believed to be due to the spontaneous combustion of methane or other hydrocarbons originating from decomposing organic matter

  2. a person or thing that is elusive or allures and misleads

Origin of will-o'-the-wisp

1
C17: originally Will with the wisp, from Will short for William and wisp in former sense of a twist of hay or straw burning as a torch

Derived forms of will-o'-the-wisp

  • will-o'-the-wispish or will-o'-the-wispy, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012