phantom
//ˈfæntəm//
Noun
phantomSingular
phantomsPlural
1
A ghost or apparition; a specter of a deceased person or creature.
The old castle is said to be haunted by the phantom of a former king.
2
Something that exists only in the imagination; an illusion or figment.
His fears turned out to be nothing but phantoms of his imagination.
3
A representation or image of something absent or intangible.
The painting captured a phantom of her childhood memories.
Synonym
Adjective
phantomCanonical form
1
Illusory; existing only in appearance or as an illusion.
The exhausted traveler saw a phantom oasis in the desert.
2
Fictitious or nonexistent, especially used to describe fraudulent entities.
The company was accused of creating phantom employees to steal money.