An optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects.

Roget 443: dim sight, dull sight half sight, short sight, near sight, long sight, double sight, astigmatic sight, failing sight; dimsightedness &c.; purblindness, lippitude^†; myopia, presbyopia^†; confusion of vision; astigmatism; color blindness, chromato pseudo blepsis^†, Daltonism; nyctalopia^†; strabismus, strabism^†, squint; blearedness^†, day blindness, hemeralopia^†, nystagmus; xanthocyanopia^†, xanthopsia [Med.]; cast in the eye, swivel eye, goggle-eyes; obliquity of vision.    winking etc. v.; nictitation; blinkard^†, albino.    dizziness, swimming, scotomy^†; cataract; ophthalmia.    [Limitation of vision] blinker; screen etc. (hider) 530.    [Fallacies of vision] deceptio visus [Lat.]; refraction, distortion, illusion, false light, anamorphosis^†, virtual image, spectrum, mirage, looming, phasma^†; phantasm, phantasma^†, phantom; vision; specter, apparition, ghost; ignis fatuus [Lat.] etc. (luminary) 423; specter of the Brocken; magic mirror; magic lantern etc. (show) 448; mirror lens etc. (instrument) 445.    ... show more

Roget 545: deception; falseness etc. 544; untruth etc. 546; imposition, imposture; fraud, deceit, guile; fraudulence, fraudulency^†; covin^†; knavery etc. (cunning) 702; misrepresentation etc. (falsehood) 544; bluff; straw-bail, straw bid [U.S.]; spoof [Slang].    delusion, gullery^†; juggling, jugglery^†; slight of hand, legerdemain; prestigiation^†, prestidigitation; magic etc. 992; conjuring, conjuration; hocus-pocus, escamoterie^†, jockeyship^†; trickery, coggery^†, chicanery; supercherie^†, cozenage^†, circumvention, ingannation^†, collusion; treachery etc. 940; practical joke.    trick, cheat, wile, blind, feint, plant, bubble, fetch, catch, chicane, juggle, reach, hocus, bite; card sharping, stacked deck, loaded dice, quick shuffle, double dealing, dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom of the deck; artful dodge, swindle; tricks upon travelers; stratagem etc. (artifice) 702; confidence trick, fake, hoax; theft etc. 791; ballot-box stuffing [U.S.], barney [Slang]; brace game [Slang], bunko game, drop game [Slang], gum game [U.S.], panel game [U.S.], shell game, thimblerig, skin game [U.S.].    snare, trap, pitfall, decoy, gin; springe^†, springle^†; noose, hoot; bait, decoy-duck, tub to the whale, baited trap, guet-a-pens; cobweb, net, meshes, toils, mouse trap, birdlime; dionaea^†, Venus's flytrap^†; ambush etc. 530; trapdoor, sliding panel, false bottom; spring-net, spring net, spring gun, mask, masked battery; mine; flytrap^†; green goods [U.S.]; panel house.    Cornish hug; wolf in sheep's clothing etc. (deceiver) 548; disguise, disguisement^†; false colors, masquerade, mummery, borrowed plumes; pattes de velours [Fr.].    mockery etc. (imitation) 19; copy etc. 21; counterfeit, sham, make-believe, forgery, fraud; lie etc. 546; a delusion a mockery and a snare" [Denman], hollow mockery.    whited sepulcher, painted sepulcher; tinsel; paste, junk jewelry, costume jewelry, false jewelry, synthetic jewels; scagliola^†, ormolu, German silver, albata^†, paktong^†, white metal, Britannia metal, paint; veneer; jerry building; man of straw.    illusion etc. (error) 495; ignis fatuus [Lat.] etc. 423; mirage etc. 443.    ... show more

Roget 858: hope, hopes; desire etc. 865; fervent hope, sanguine expectation, trust, confidence, reliance; faith etc. (belief) 484; affiance, assurance; secureness, security; reassurance.    good omen, good auspices; promise, well grounded hopes; good prospect, bright prospect; clear sky.    assumption, presumption; anticipation etc. (expectation) 507.    hopefulness, buoyancy, optimism, enthusiasm, heart of grace, aspiration.    [person who is hopeful] optimist, utopian, utopist^†.    castles in the air, castles in Spain, chateaux en Espagne [Fr.], le pot aut lait [Fr.], Utopia, millennium; day dream, golden dream; dream of Alnaschar^†; airy hopes, fool's paradise; mirage etc. (fallacies of vision) 443; fond hope.    beam of hope, ray of hope, gleam of hope, glimmer of hope, flash of hope, dawn of hope, star of hope; cheer; bit of blue sky, silver lining, silver lining of the cloud, bottom of Pandora's box, balm in Gilead; light at the end of the tunnel.    anchor, sheet anchor, mainstay; staff etc. (support) 215; heaven etc. 981.    ... show more

Dutch: fata morgana, luchtspiegeling, gezichtsbedrog
Polish: fatamorgana

Something illusory and unattainable.