specter

/ˈspek.tər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈspek.tɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspek-tər/ (ame, mw)

specter — 名詞

1. the American English way of writing the word 'spectre'

1.名詞
釋義

美式拼法

spectre的美式拼寫

the American English way of writing the word 'spectre'

例句

Writers in the US use 'specter', while British writers prefer 'spectre'.

美國作家使用 specter，而英國作家則偏好 spectre。

spelling variant: specter (US) / spectre (UK)

The editor changed 'spectre' to 'specter' to match the newspaper's American English style guide.

編輯將 spectre 改為 specter，以配合該報社的美式英語風格指南。

用法筆記

This is purely a spelling difference. All definitions, examples, and usage patterns are the same as 'spectre'. Use 'specter' in American English and 'spectre' in British English.

常見錯誤

❌The British novel used the spelling specter.
✅The British novel used the spelling spectre.
💡'spectre' is the British spelling; 'specter' is American.

2. the image or spirit of a dead person that appears as a ghostly figure, especiall

2.名詞B2
釋義

幽靈；鬼魂

死者靈魂顯現的鬼影

the image or spirit of a dead person that appears as a ghostly figure, especially in stories and legends

例句

Old tales say a hooded specter appears on the castle walls before a storm.

古老的傳說提到，暴風雨來臨前會有一個戴頭巾的幽靈出現在城牆上。

specter + appears (subject + verb pattern)

Amara froze when a pale specter drifted silently through the closed library door.

Amara 嚇得動彈不得，因為一個蒼白的幽靈無聲地飄過了緊閉的圖書館大門。

同義詞
  • ghost

    the everyday word; less literary, more common in speech

  • phantom

    similar register to 'specter'; suggests something that appears and vanishes

  • apparition

    emphasizes the act of appearing; often feels more mysterious

文法句型

a + specter + of + noun

specter + verb (appears / haunts / drifts)

用法筆記

More literary and dramatic than 'ghost'. Common in Gothic fiction, folklore, and formal storytelling. In everyday conversation, 'ghost' is the natural choice.

常見錯誤

❌I saw a specter in my bedroom last night.
✅I saw a ghost in my bedroom last night.
💡'specter' sounds overly dramatic for everyday personal experience; use 'ghost' in casual speech.

3. an unpleasant thought or possibility that causes worry or fear — for example, th

3.名詞C1
釋義

陰影；恐懼

令人擔憂的可怕可能性

an unpleasant thought or possibility that causes worry or fear — for example, the specter of losing one's job, or the specter of a disease spreading through a community

例句

The specter of war hung over every conversation at the peace conference.

戰爭的陰影籠罩著和平會議上的每一場談話。

collocation: specter of war

Rising sea levels have raised the specter of flooding in coastal cities around the world.

海平面上升引發了全球沿海城市面臨洪水威脅的擔憂。

collocation: raise the specter of

同義詞
  • threat

    more direct and concrete; less metaphorical

  • shadow

    similar metaphor but less intense; 'under the shadow of'

  • menace

    stronger, suggesting an active danger rather than a possibility

反義詞
  • comfort

    the opposite emotional effect — reassurance instead of worry

文法句型

the specter of + [unwanted outcome]

raise the specter of + noun

haunted by the specter of + noun

用法筆記

Always followed by 'of' + a noun phrase naming a negative outcome. The subject is typically a situation, event, or policy — not a person's individual feelings. Common in journalism, political analysis, and formal discussion of risks.

常見錯誤

❌The specter of my math test made me nervous.
✅The specter of mass layoffs worried the whole industry.
💡Use 'specter of' for serious, large-scale threats; for personal worries, use 'fear of' or 'worry about.'