‖ [ It.; -- so called because this phenomenon was looked upon as the work of a fairy (It. fata) of the name of Morgána. See Fairy. ] A kind of mirage by which distant objects appear inverted, distorted, displaced, or multiplied. It is noticed particularly at the Straits of Messina, between Calabria and Sicily. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ LL. matrimonium ad morganaticam, fr. morganatica a morning gift, a kind of dowry paid on the morning before or after the marriage, fr. OHG. morgan morning, in morgangeba morning gift, G. morgengabe. See Morn. ] Pertaining to, in the manner of, or designating, a kind of marriage, called also