specter
A ghostly apparition, a phantomA ghostly apparition, a phantom.
Recorded US: Sylvanmoon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
» A specter is haunting Europe — the specter of communism.
Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa: Das Gespenst des Kommunismus. — BraveSentry · CC BY 2.0 FR
shekitten · Tatoeba · CC0Meaning
4 senses(US)A ghostly apparition, a phantom.
A specter haunted the cemetery at the old Vasquez manor.
Gespenst, Spuk
при́зракprízrak, привиде́ниеprividénije, фанто́мfantóm
при́видprývyd
a ghostly appearing figure
(US, figuratively)A threatening mental image; an unpleasant prospect
The specter of an election-vote recount is this year's political bogeyman.
Schreckgespenst, Spuk
фанто́мfantóm
(US)Any of certain species of dragonfly of the genus Boyeria, family Aeshnidae.
(US)Any of various species of Asian danaid butterflies of the genus Idea, family Nymphalidae.
Examples
3 sentencesA specter is haunting Europe — the specter of communism.
deEin Gespenst geht um in Europa: Das Gespenst des Kommunismus. — BraveSentry · CC BY 2.0 FR
She thinks the specter of a long-dead pet might be responsible for the nipping at people’s feet.
A specter is haunting Tatoeba— the specter of Tom.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle French spectre, from Latin spectrum (“appearance, apparition”). Doublet of speFrom Middle French spectre, from Latin spectrum (“appearance, apparition”). Doublet of spectrum.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: spectersSynonyms
10 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsSee also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.