mirage

[ mi-rahzh ]

noun

1. 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.
2. something illusory, without substance or reality.

   Synonyms: fancy, phantom, illusion

3. Mirage, Military. any of a series of supersonic, delta-wing, multirole French fighter-bombers.

mirage

/ mɪˈrɑːʒ /

noun

1. an image of a distant object or sheet of water, often inverted or distorted, caused by atmospheric refraction by hot air
2. something illusory

mirage

/ mĭ-räzh′ /

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mirage¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; from French, equivalent to (se) mir(er) “to look at (oneself), be reflected” (from Latin mīrārī “to wonder at”) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of mirage¹

C19: from French, from ( se ) mirer to be reflected

Example Sentences

Experts say there’s nothing amiss in the district beyond California’s typically poky counting speeds and what’s known as the “red mirage” or the “blue shift.”

From Los Angeles Times

Or, just maybe, it was all a mirage, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of its greatest players still lurking, waiting for the moment to strike.

From Los Angeles Times

The intention here isn’t to suggest the transformations the Chargers have made under Harbaugh are a mirage.

From Los Angeles Times

But even beyond that unsolvable problem, it has become clear that the decades-long Democratic Party faith in demographics as destiny was a disastrous mirage.

From Salon

They defined the American Way in their own terms and brought the blessings of full citizenship to countless millions for whom it had earlier been a mirage.

From Salon