Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

spectral

/ˈspɛktɹəɫ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.46 in modern English

Syllables: spec-tral
IPA: /ˈspɛktɹəɫ/

12

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of, or pertaining to, spectres; ghostly.

adj

Of, or pertaining to, spectra; classified according to frequency or wavelength (of light, etc.).

adj

On the spectrum; spectrumy.

Example Sentences

"The spectral chain-rattling and moans gave me the chills."
"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."
"Agitated by a multitude of curious thoughts, I retired to my room, that night, prepared to encounter some new experience of a spectral character."

Etymology

From spectr(e) + -al.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: spectre, spectrum

Inflected Forms

more spectral (comparative) most spectral (superlative)

Derived Forms

nonspectral spectrality spectrally spectralness unspectral autospectral bispectral cospectral eigenspectral extraspectral hyperspectral isospectral

Phrases

Frölicher spectral sequence Hodge-de Rham spectral sequence spectral bat spectral owl hydrogen spectral series spectral class spectral gating spectral line

Synonyms

ghostly apparitional ghostlike phantasmal spiritual

Antonyms

nonspectral unspectral

Questions

How do you pronounce spectral?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈspɛktɹəɫ/.
What does spectral mean?: Of, or pertaining to, spectres; ghostly.
Where does spectral come from?: From spectr(e) + -al.

How to pronounce spectral

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “spectral”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈspɛktɹəɫ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “spectral”.
Repeat and practice — Say “spectral” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.