ghostly

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English

Etymology

From Middle English gostly, gastlich, from Old English gāstlīċ (spiritual, holy, clerical (not lay), ghastly, ghostly, spectral), equivalent to ghost +‎ -ly. Cognate with Scots gostly, gastly, gaistlie (spiritual, ghastly, terrifying), West Frisian geastlik (spiritual, clerical, religious), Dutch geestelijk (spiritual, clerical, ecclesiastical), German geistlich (spiritual, sacred, religious), Danish geistlig (ecclesiastical, clerical).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

ghostly (comparative ghostlier, superlative ghostliest)

  1. Of or pertaining to ghosts or spirits.
    a ghostly figure with a hood
    The graveyard was haunted by a ghostly figure of a young girl.
    The ghostly moaning was heard from upstairs.
  2. Spooky; frightening.
    A ghostly hush fell.
  3. Relating to the soul; not carnal or secular; spiritual.
    a ghostly confessor
    • (Can we date this quote?), Book of Common Prayer
      Save and defend us from our ghostly enemies.
    • (Can we date this quote by Jeremy Taylor and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      one of the ghostly children of St. Jerome

Synonyms

Translations

See also