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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.

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