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fantasma

ghost

noun fahn-TAHS-mah Rare

Origin: From Greek phantasma (apparition, image), via Latin.

Also means

phantom

Usage Note

Fantasma is masculine despite ending in -a: el fantasma, not la fantasma. This is a common pitfall. It is used both for supernatural ghosts and figuratively for something that haunts or looms: el fantasma del desempleo (the specter of unemployment). The adjective fantasmal means ghostly.

Examples

"Los niños creyeron ver un fantasma en el pasillo."

Natural Translation

The children thought they saw a ghost in the hallway.

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