Meaning & use

spectral

adjective·Advanced

Relating to ghosts or having a ghostly, eerie quality; also, relating to a spectrum of light or sound.

See it in a sentence

A spectral figure seemed to drift silently through the abandoned hallway.

Scientists analyzed the spectral data to determine the star's chemical composition.

A note on using this word

Spectral has two distinct senses: an everyday, eerie meaning tied to ghosts, and a technical meaning related to spectra of light or sound.

Words with a similar meaning

ghostlyphantom

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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