noun
specter
SPEHK-tuh
noun
1
A ghostly figure or apparition; a phantom.
"A pale specter was said to wander the old corridor at night."
"The children swore they saw a specter drift past the window."
2
A frightening possibility or threat that looms over a situation.
"The specter of another recession hung over the meeting."
"They worked late into the night, haunted by the specter of failure."
How to Use Specter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA ghost, or a scary idea/threat that keeps hanging over you even though it hasn't happened yet.
UK vs US
In UK and Australian English this is usually spelled "spectre"; American English prefers "specter."
Common pairings
the specter of war
a ghostly specter
raise the specter of
Word Forms
specters plural
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A pale _____ was said to wander the old corridor at night.
Etymology
From Middle French spectre, from Latin spectrum ("appearance, apparition") — the same Latin root that gives us "spectrum."