spectre
ghost, specter
noun spek-TR Rare
Origin: Latin 'spectrum' (appearance, apparition)
Also means
spectrum, range
Usage Note
Spectre covers both the ghostly sense and the figurative range — 'le spectre politique' means the political spectrum. The plural spectres is regular. In the ghost sense it is more literary than fantôme, which is the everyday word for ghost.
Examples
"Le spectre d'un ancien roi hantait le château."
Natural Translation
The ghost of an ancient king haunted the castle.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic