Standard Lemma guide

phantasmal

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /fænˈtæzml̩/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /fænˈtæzməl/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantasm (“something seen but having no physical reality”); imaginary, unreal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: phantasmatic, phantasmatical, phantasmic, phantasmical, phantomatic

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantasm (“something seen but having no physical reality”); imaginary, unreal.

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom (“apparition or ghost”); ghostly, spectral.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: phantasmatic, phantasmatical, phantasmic, phantasmical, phantomatic, apparitional, ghastly, ghostish, ghostlike, ghostly, phantomic, phantomlike, phantasmal, spectral, spooky, wraithlike, wraithy

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantasm (“something seen but having no physical reality”); imaginary, unreal.

Of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantasm (“perception or vision of a living or dead person who is not physically present, often through telepathy”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: parapsychology, pseudoscience

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: phantasmatic, phantasmatical, phantasmic, phantasmical, phantomatic

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a ghostly face at the window
  • a phantasmal presence in the room
  • spectral emanations
  • spiritual tappings at a seance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: apparitional, ghostlike, ghostly, spectral, spiritual

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From phantasm or phantasma (“phantasm”) + -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: fantoma — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • Finnish: aavemainen — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • French: fantasmatique — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • Italian: fantasmatico — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • Romanian: fantasmatic — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • Russian: при́зрачный (prízračnyj) — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral
  • Spanish: fantasmal — of or pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, a phantom — see also ghostly, spectral