eidolon

/aɪˈdoʊlɑn/
noun
  1. A spirit or ghostly image of a dead person; an apparition.
    • The old castle was said to be haunted by the eidolon of a knight.
    • Some cultures believe an eidolon can appear to deliver a message from the afterlife.
    • In the story, the hero sees the eidolon of his grandmother in the mist.
  2. An idealized image or phantom of a person or thing, especially one that exists only in the imagination.
    • For years, he chased the eidolon of the perfect job, never satisfied with what he had.
    • She realized her childhood memory of the house was just an eidolon, not the actual place.
    • The artist painted not a real person, but an eidolon of beauty from his dreams.
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