mirage

Everyday

1. A mirage is something you seem to see that is not really there, caused by hot air bending light, like a pool of water on a hot road or in a desert. tree →
2. A mirage is a hope or idea that seems real but is not. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on light, a mirage happens when light bends (refracts) through layers of hot and cooler air, so the sky appears on the ground like water. On hot days you can see «water» on the road ahead that disappears as you get closer. In stories thirsty travellers in deserts see mirages of oases. Phrases: «a desert mirage», «it was only a mirage».

Examples

• On the hot road ahead, we saw a mirage that looked like water. tree →
• The thirsty explorer saw a mirage of an oasis. tree →
• A mirage is caused by light bending in hot air. tree →
• As we got closer, the mirage disappeared. tree →
• Sailors sometimes see ships floating in the sky — a kind of mirage. tree →
• His hope of winning turned out to be a mirage. tree →
• Mirages are common in deserts. tree →
• You can photograph a mirage — it's not just in your head. tree →

Note

Countable: mirages. Pronounced mi-RAHZH (from French). A mirage is a real effect of light, not a hallucination — a camera can capture it. Do not confuse with «mirror».