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spectral. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
spectral, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
spectral in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From spectre + -al.[1]
Adjective
spectral (comparative more spectral, superlative most spectral)
- Of, or pertaining to, spectres; ghostly.
- Synonym: ghostly
- Antonyms: nonspectral, unspectral
The spectral chain-rattling and moans gave me the chills.
1837, L E L, “The Marriage Morning”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. , volume I, London: Henry Colburn, , →OCLC, page 202:The day itself was miserably dull; a thick fog shut out the landscape, while a few of the nearer trees alone were visible, spreading out their thin spectral arms on the murky air.
1859 December 13, Charles Dickens, “The Ghost in Master B’s Room”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round , volume II, London: C Whiting, , →OCLC, page 27, column 2:Agitated by a multitude of curious thoughts, I retired to my room, that night, prepared to encounter some new experience of a spectral character.
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
From spectrum + -al.[1]
Adjective
spectral (comparative more spectral, superlative most spectral)
- Of, or pertaining to, spectra; classified according to frequency or wavelength (of light etc.).
- Antonym: nonspectral
Derived terms
Translations
References
Anagrams
French
Etymology
From spectre + -al.
Pronunciation
Adjective
spectral (feminine spectrale, masculine plural spectraux, feminine plural spectrales)
- spectral
Further reading
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French spectral. By surface analysis, spectru + -al.
Pronunciation
Adjective
spectral m or n (feminine singular spectrală, masculine plural spectrali, feminine and neuter plural spectrale)
- spectral
- Synonym: fantomatic
Declension