wraith

[ reyth ]

noun

1. an apparition of a living person supposed to portend their death.
2. a visible spirit.

wraith

/ reɪθ /

noun

1. the apparition of a person living or thought to be alive, supposed to appear around the time of his death
2. a ghost or any apparition
3. an insubstantial copy of something
4. something pale, thin, and lacking in substance, such as a column of smoke

Derived Forms

• ˈwraithˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• wraithlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wraith¹

First recorded in 1505–15; originally Scots; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of wraith¹

C16: Scottish, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

He arrived to find a wraith in her 80s, down to 75 pounds, suffering from multiple cancers that had disfigured her face.

From Los Angeles Times

The protagonists are a couple of paranormal investigators, Red and Antea, who are trying to clear the tormented wraiths out of a haunted settlement.

From Seattle Times

The original Beetlejuice, which starred Michael Keaton as an obnoxious wraith hired to help scare away a house's pretentious inhabitants, was released back in 1988.

From BBC

Pushing lines of taste, her inventions can suggest organs ripped from bodies, mysterious deep-sea creatures or sci-fi wraiths.

From New York Times

She saw her mother, shrouded in a dark covering of wraiths, bones and melting faces, and felt her overwhelming grief.

From Los Angeles Times