Mirage

Pronunciation: /mɪˈrɑʒ/

Definitions of mirage

noun An optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, especially the appearance of a sheet of water in a desert or on a hot road caused by the refraction of light from the sky by heated air.

Example Sentences

A1 In the desert, a mirage can make it look like there is water ahead.

A2 The travelers were disappointed when they realized the oasis was just a mirage.

B1 The mirage of success often leads people to make risky decisions.

B2 The shimmering mirage on the horizon seemed almost tangible.

C1 The mirage of fame and fortune can be alluring but fleeting.

C2 The artist used the mirage as a metaphor for the illusory nature of reality.

Examples of mirage in a Sentence

formal The travelers were deceived by the mirage in the desert.

informal We thought we saw an oasis, but it was just a mirage.

slang Don't be fooled by that mirage, it's just a trick of the light.

figurative His dreams of fame and fortune turned out to be nothing but a mirage.

Grammatical Forms of mirage

• past tense: miraged
• plural: mirages
• comparative: more mirage
• superlative: most mirage
• present tense: mirage
• future tense: will mirage
• perfect tense: have miraged
• continuous tense: is miraging
• singular: mirage
• positive degree: mirage
• infinitive: to mirage
• gerund: miraging
• participle: miraging

Origin and Evolution of mirage

First Known Use: 1800 year

Language of Origin: French/Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'mirage' originated from the French word 'mirage' which came from the Latin word 'mirare' meaning to look at, to wonder at.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe optical illusions caused by atmospheric conditions, the word 'mirage' has evolved to also represent something illusory or unreal in a broader sense.