mirage
[ mi-rahzh ]
/ mɪˈrɑʒ /
noun
an optical phenomenon, especially in the desert or at sea, by which the image of some object appears displaced above, below, or to one side of its true position as a result of spatial variations of the index of refraction of air.
something illusory, without substance or reality.
(initial capital letter) Military.
any of a series of supersonic, delta-wing, multirole French fighter-bombers.
Origin of mirage
1795–1805; < French, equivalent to (
se)
mir(er) to look at (oneself), be reflected (< Latin
mīrārī to wonder at) +
-age
-age
Words nearby mirage
miracle play,
miraculous,
miraculous fruit,
mirador,
miraflores,
mirage,
miramar,
miranda,
miranda decision,
mirandize,
miras
Example sentences from the Web for mirage
British Dictionary definitions for mirage
mirage
/ (mɪˈrɑːʒ) /
noun
an image of a distant object or sheet of water, often inverted or distorted, caused by atmospheric refraction by hot air
something illusory
Word Origin for mirage
C19: from French, from (
se)
mirer to be reflected
Scientific definitions for mirage
mirage
[ mĭ-räzh′ ]
An image formed under certain atmospheric conditions, in which objects appear to be reflected or displaced or in which nonexistent objects seem to appear. For example, the difference in the index of refraction between a low layer of very hot air and a higher level of cold air can cause light rays, travelling down from an object (such as the sky or a cloud) and passing through ever warmer air, to be refracted back up again. An observer viewing these light rays perceives them coming up off the ground, and thus sees the inverted image of the object, which appears lower than the object really is. In this way the sky itself can be reflected, resulting in the mirage of a distant lake.