specter

[ spek-ter ]

noun

1. a visible incorporeal spirit, especially one of a terrifying nature; ghost; phantom; apparition.

   Synonyms: shade

2. some object or source of terror or dread:

   the specter of disease or famine.

Word History and Origins

Origin of specter¹

First recorded 1595–1605; from Latin spectrum “appearance, form”; spectrum

Synonym Study

See ghost.

Example Sentences

Arguably, the Monk's terrifying and/or hilarious saga offered a local corollary to the specter that's haunting all of Europe, and nowhere more than Ireland: Trump's impending second term.

From Salon

Sixty years earlier, the specter of anti-Catholic prejudice led Kennedy to address the question of how his Catholicism would affect his conduct in the White House.

From Salon

Determined not to be blindsided a second time, I steeled myself for the return of this relentless specter in 2024.

From Salon

The French Senegalese filmmaker returns with a rich and absorbing exploration of the specter of colonialism that continues the enthralling, otherworldly quality of her 2019 breakthrough film, “Atlantics.”

From Los Angeles Times

Days away from one of the most defining elections in its history, the nation faces the growing specter of political violence.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• demon
• shadow