Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ignis fatuus

/ˈɪɡnɪs ˈfætjuːəs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.14 in modern English

Syllables: ig-nis -fatu-us
IPA: /ˈɪɡnɪs ˈfætjuːəs/

15

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A will o' the wisp.

noun

A delusion, a false hope.

Example Sentences

"Fiery spirits or devils are such as commonly work by blazing stars, fire-drakes, or ignes fatui; which lead men often in flumina aut præcipitia, saith Bodine[…]"
"An Ignis Fatuus, that bewitches, / And leads Men into Pools and Ditches"
"[…] they think this is written on purpose to be published; and that this defence is so published, that it may serve as an Ignis fatuus to mislead them […]"
"He cursed the journey he had been led to take after what had proved but an ignis fatuus, deluded as he had been by false expectations;[…]"
"Henrietta’s career, however, was not so successful as might have been wished even in the interest of her private felicity; that view of the inner life of Great Britain which she was so eager to take appeared to dance before her like an ignis fatuus."
"A reality which is neither of these two, but an object in itself (into which the thing in itself has unfortunately dwindled in the hands of Kant), is the phantom of a dream, and its acceptance is an ignis fatuus in philosophy."

Etymology

From New Latin ignis fatuus (literally “foolish fire”).

Word Breakdown

Root: ignis fatuus

Inflected Forms

ignes fatui (plural)

Synonyms

will-o'-the-wisp friar's lantern jack-o'-lantern

Questions

How do you pronounce ignis fatuus?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɪɡnɪs ˈfætjuːəs/.
What does ignis fatuus mean?: A will o' the wisp.
Where does ignis fatuus come from?: From New Latin ignis fatuus (literally “foolish fire”).

How to pronounce ignis fatuus

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