Definitions for "Ignis fatuus"
A phosphorescent light that appears, in the night, over marshy ground, supposed to be occasioned by the decomposition of animal or vegetable substances, or by some inflammable gas; -- popularly called also Will-with-the-wisp, or Will-o'-the-wisp, and Jack-with-a-lantern, or Jack-o'-lantern.
Literally translated to 'foolish fire', the term is given to ghostly luminous phenomenon more commonly known as "will-o'-the-wisp", "corpse candles", etc. These are all reportedly strange, dancing lights, sometime reported to be death omens in some traditions. Occasionally attributed to natural phenomena such as igniting marsh gases or ball lightning.
luminous appearance in marshy places or cemeteries. Science attributes it to gaseous emanations; superstition to spirits. Stainton Moses often claimed to have seen lights in cemeteries or in places where sudden death occurred.
Fig.: A misleading influence; a decoy.
an illusion that misleads
Keywords:  fool, latin, fire
Latin for "Fool's Fire".