specter

[ spek-ter ]
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noun
  1. a visible incorporeal spirit, especially one of a terrifying nature; ghost; phantom; apparition.

  2. some object or source of terror or dread: the specter of disease or famine.

Origin of specter

1
First recorded 1595–1605; from Latin spectrum “appearance, form”; see spectrum
  • Also especially British, spec·tre .

synonym study For specter

1. See ghost.

Other words for specter

Words Nearby specter

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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