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spettro

ghost

noun SPET-troh Rare
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Origin: Latin spectrum (appearance, image), from specere (to look)

Also means

spectrum

Usage Note

Spettro covers two distinct meanings: a ghost or phantom (lo spettro del castello — the castle ghost) and a scientific spectrum (lo spettro della luce — the light spectrum). The plural is regular: spettri. In political discourse it can also mean a spectre in the figurative sense, as in Marx's 'spettro del comunismo'.

Examples

"I bambini credono allo spettro della vecchia casa."

Natural Translation

The children believe in the ghost of the old house.

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