barmecide

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: Bar=me=cide

CIDE DICTIONARY

barmecide, n. [A prince of the Barmecide family, who, as related in the “Arabian Nights' Tales”, pretended to set before the hungry Shacabac food, on which the latter pretended to feast.].

 One who proffers some illusory advantage or benefit. Also used as an adj.: Barmecidal.  Dickens.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

barmecide, adj. & n.
--adj. illusory, imaginary; such as to disappoint.
--n. a giver of benefits that are illusory or disappointing.

Etymology

the name of a wealthy man in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments who gave a beggar a feast consisting of ornate but empty dishes