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File:Will-o-the-wisp_and_snake_by_Hermann_Hendrich_1823.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ160569· pop 59· linked from 773 articles

will o' the wisp

Also known as foxfire, will-o'-the-wisp, will-o'-wisp, ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, hinkypunk, hobby lantern

thumb|upright=1.35|The Will o' the Wisp and the Snake by Hermann Hendrich (1854–1931)

AI overview

A will o' the wisp is a ghostly light sometimes seen hovering over marshy or swampy ground, historically explained by various natural phenomena like decomposing gases or reflections. The phenomenon has captured people's imagination for centuries, inspiring folklore, artwork, and literature as a mysterious and often dangerous apparition.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

~30 min read

Encyclopedic overview

24 sections

Contents

Nomenclature
Etymology
Synonyms
Folklore
Americas
Asia
Europe
Britain
Ireland
Oceania
Scientific explanations
Historical explanations
20th century
Literature and popular culture
Global terms
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania
See also
Explanatory notes
References
Bibliography
External links

thumb|upright=1.35|The Will o' the Wisp and the Snake by Hermann Hendrich (1854–1931)

In folklore, a '''will-o'-the-wisp, or will-o'-wisp (, "foolish flame"), is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “will o' the wisp” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.