spectre

/ˈspɛktər/
noun
  1. A ghost or spirit, especially one that is seen or imagined as a frightening figure.
    • She thought she saw a spectre floating in the moonlight.
    • In the story, a spectre appears to warn the hero of danger.
    • The old castle is said to be haunted by the spectre of a knight.
  2. Something that causes fear or worry, often about something bad that might happen in the future.
    • Climate change is a spectre that hangs over our planet.
    • The spectre of unemployment haunted many workers during the recession.
    • The spectre of war made everyone anxious.
What does "spectre" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean