something, e.g. a ghost, apparent to the senses but with no substantial existence
something elusive or unreal; a will-o’-the-wisp
that treacherous phantom which men call Liberty — John Ruskin
something existing only in the imagination
dreams troubled by phantoms of the past
something existing in appearance only; a form without substance
phantomlike adv and adj
[Middle English fantosme, fantome from early French fantosme, modification of Latin phantasma: see phantasm]