What is "ignis fatuus"

Ignis fatuus \Ig"nis fat"u*us\; pl. Ignes fatui. [L. ignis fire + fatuus foolish. So called in allusion to its tendency to mislead travelers.]

1. 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.

2. Fig.: A misleading influence; a decoy.

   Scared and guided by the ignis fatuus of popular superstition.
   --Jer. Taylor.

"will o' the wisp, jack-a-lantern," 1560s, from Medieval Latin, literally "foolish fire;" see igneous + fatuous.

n. 1 A will o' the wisp. 2 (context figuratively English) A delusion, a false hope.

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

2. an illusion that misleads [syn: will-o'-the-wisp]

Ignis Fatuus, or Ghost Ship, is a horror attraction on the Mariner's Landing Pier at Morey's Piers amusement park. It is the most recent and only attraction that uses real actors within it, has spectators walk around the attraction and ride in the cart. It is covers of the pier, and lasts 15 minutes; making one of the biggest and longest running attractions in the park. The ride is intended for kids 10 and up due to its intensity ; such as grotesque medical experiments, blood, radiation scars, facial deformities, and the involvement of a claustrophobia room. While a strict no running policy is enforced, the attraction does have a series of "sissy exits" placed throughout the attraction if the ride becomes too intense.