noun
wraith
RAYTH/reɪθ/
A ghostly or shadowy figure or thing.
The translucent wraith hovers beside the bench, its lower legs dissolving into wisps.
Etymology
The word is recorded in Scottish use for a ghostly apparition in the exact likeness of a person. Its origin remains uncertain, so no secure root explains that image.
In context
Well a phantom or a wraith probably just attached itself to you.
More examples
- A wraith of mist floats above the lake.
- In the dim light, his reflection looks like a wraith.
- The story's wraiths vanish whenever someone lights a candle.
Forms
wraith · wraiths
Similar words
- ghost
- Usually suggests a dead person's spirit, not merely a shadow.
- apparition
- Emphasizes a supernatural appearance rather than a shadowy shape.