What is "friar's lantern"

Friar \Fri"ar\, n. [OR. frere, F. fr[`e]re brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.]

1. (R. C. Ch.) A brother or member of any religious order, but especially of one of the four mendicant orders, viz:

   1. Minors, Gray Friars, or Franciscans.

   2. Augustines.

   3. Dominicans or Black Friars.

   4. White Friars or Carmelites. See these names in the Vocabulary.

2. (Print.) A white or pale patch on a printed page.

3. (Zo["o]l.) An American fish; the silversides.

   Friar bird (Zo["o]l.), an Australian bird ( Tropidorhynchus corniculatus), having the head destitute of feathers; -- called also coldong, leatherhead, pimlico; poor soldier, and four-o'clock. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus.

   Friar's balsam (Med.), a stimulating application for wounds and ulcers, being an alcoholic solution of benzoin, styrax, tolu balsam, and aloes; compound tincture of benzoin.
   --Brande & C.

   Friar's cap (Bot.), the monkshood.

   Friar's cowl (Bot.), an arumlike plant ( Arisarum vulgare) with a spathe or involucral leaf resembling a cowl.

   Friar's lantern, the ignis fatuus or Will-o'-the-wisp.
   --Milton.

   Friar skate (Zo["o]l.), the European white or sharpnosed skate ( Raia alba); -- called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor.

n. a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground [syn: ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern, will-o'-the-wisp]