mirage

mi·rage  (m-räzh)

n.

1. An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called fata morgana.

2. Something illusory or insubstantial.

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[French, from mirer, to look at, from Latin mrr, to wonder at, from mrus, wonderful; see smei- in Indo-European roots.]

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mirage [mir-rahzh]

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: the mirage of economic recovery [French, from (se) mirer to be reflected]

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mirage  (m-räzh) 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.

mirage The hot air near the ground surface warms the air above it causing a light ray passing through it to be refracted upwards. Because the light ray reaching the viewer's eye appears to be coming from the ground surface, and because the reflected ray follows the same path, an apparent image is seen.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	mirage - an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects fata morgana - a mirage in the Strait of Messina (attributed to the Arthurian sorcerer Morgan le Fay) optical illusion - an optical phenomenon that results in a false or deceptive visual impression
	2.	mirage - something illusory and unattainable misconception - an incorrect conception

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mirage

noun illusion, vision, hallucination, pipe dream, chimera, optical illusion, phantasm

Translations

mirage [ˈmɪrɑːʒ] n → espejismo

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mirage [ˈmɪrɑːʒ] n → mirage m

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mirage [ˈmɪrɑːʒ] n → Fata Morgana f (fig); Trugbild nt

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mirage [ˈmɪrɑːʒ] n → miraggio