specter

spec·ter

S0617600 (spĕk′tər)n.1. A ghostly apparition; a phantom.2. A haunting or disturbing image or prospect: the terrible specter of nuclear war.

---

[French spectre, from Latin spectrum, appearance, apparition; see spectrum.]

spec•ter

(ˈspɛk tər)

n. 1. a visible incorporeal spirit, esp. one of a terrifying nature; ghost; phantom; apparition. 2. some object or source of terror or dread: the specter of disease. Also, esp. Brit., spectre. [1595–1605; < Latin spectrum; see spectrum]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	specter - a mental representation of some haunting experience; "he looked like he had seen a ghost"; "it aroused specters from his past"ghost, wraith, spectre, spook, shadefantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, shadow, apparition - something existing in perception only; "a ghostly apparition at midnight"
	2.	specter - a ghostly appearing figure; "we were unprepared for the apparition that confronted us"apparition, fantasm, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, spectredisembodied spirit, spirit - any incorporeal supernatural being that can become visible (or audible) to human beingsFlying Dutchman - the captain of a phantom ship (the Flying Dutchman) who was condemned to sail against the wind until Judgment Day

specter

nounA supernatural being, such as a ghost:apparition, bogey, bogeyman, bogle, eidolon, ghost, phantasm, phantasma, phantom, revenant, shade, shadow, spirit, visitant, wraith.Informal: spook.Regional: haunt.

Translations

spectrefantasmaspettro