will-o'-the-wisp

[ wil-uh-th uh-wisp ]
/ ˈwɪl ə ðəˈwɪsp /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR will-o'-the-wisp ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

ignis fatuus(def 1).
anything that deludes or misleads by luring on.

Origin of will-o'-the-wisp

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

OTHER WORDS FROM will-o'-the-wisp

will·o'-the-wisp·ish; especially British, will·o'-the-wisp·y, adjective

Words nearby will-o'-the-wisp

will contest, will not hear of, will to power, will-call, will-less, will-o'-the-wisp, willa, willable, willaert, willamette, willard

Words related to will-o'-the-wisp

apparition, bubble, chimera, confusion, daydream, deception, delusion, error, fallacy, fancy, fantasy, ghost, hallucination, hocus-pocus, image, invention, make-believe, mirage, misapprehension, misconception

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

will-o'-the-wisp
/ (ˌwɪləðəˈwɪsp) /

noun

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
a person or thing that is elusive or allures and misleads

Derived forms of will-o'-the-wisp

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

Word Origin for will-o'-the-wisp

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