Trivia Time

Which holiday is associated with apparitions?

Test Your Knowledge

apparition

American  

[ap-uh-rish-uhn] / ˌæp əˈrɪʃ ən /

noun

• apparitions
  plural

1. 

   a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or phantom; wraith.

   a ghostly apparition at midnight.

   Synonyms:

   shade, spirit

2. anything that appears, especially something remarkable or startling.

   the surprising apparition of cowboys in New York City.

3. an act of appearing; manifestation.

4. Astronomy. the appearance or time when a comet, especially a periodic one, is visible.

   the 1986 apparition of Halley's comet.

---

apparition British  

/ ˌæpəˈrɪʃən /

noun

1. an appearance, esp of a ghost or ghostlike figure

2. the figure so appearing; phantom; spectre

3. the act of appearing or being visible

---

Synonym Usage

Apparition, phantasm, phantom are terms for a supernatural appearance. An apparition of a person or thing is an immaterial appearance that seems real, and is generally sudden or startling in its manifestation: an apparition of a headless horseman. Both phantom and phantasm denote an illusory appearance, as in a dream; the former may be pleasant, while the latter is usually frightening: a phantom of loveliness; a monstrous phantasm.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• apparitional
  adjective
• nonapparitional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• apparitions
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of apparition

1400–50; late Middle English apparicio ( u ) n < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin appāritiōn- (stem of appāritiō, as calque of Greek epipháneia epiphany ), equivalent to Latin appārit ( us ) (past participle of appārēre; see appear) + -iōn- -ion

---

Explanation

If you see something you think might be a ghost, you can call it an apparition to hedge your bets. Apparition doesn't commit you in the same way the word ghost does—and saying that you've seen one won't cause you to be committed. Deriving from the Latin apparere "appear," apparition was first used in 1520 in a religious context, referring to the moment when the three wise men appear before the infant Jesus in the Bible. Later, apparition came to include the appearance of ghosts, or ghostly figures. It can also mean a memory so vivid it's like seeing a ghost.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

apparition apparitions

“She is Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he tells me, a Marian apparition venerated as a national icon in Mexico.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

One of the finest stories here, “Late,” involves another apparition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2025

Since the apparition, pilgrims have come to Knock in search of healing, reconciliation and peace.

From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2025

Least expensive: “A Polaroid of an apparition of the Virgin Mary in a glass structure in Clearwater, Fla. I got it on eBay for $7.”

From New York Times ● May 16, 2024

“I was not really planning to. But I suppose we will have to go now, I will find out the next apparition date.”

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Boone is responsible for tremendous environmental harm but remains unrepentant, even as other apparitions materialize seeking to shame him into confessing his sins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

"A lot of the time we're just scared of these apparitions that we've created and these narratives that we've foisted upon other people."

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2024

The Roman Catholic Church has long been vigilant when it comes to supernatural apparitions like professed sightings of the Virgin Mary, weeping Madonnas or bleeding crucifixes.

From New York Times ● May 17, 2024

The Iron Monkey metalworkers are known for the multistory apparitions they conjure every year, haul to Burning Man and set on fire.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2024

“Phantasms specters ghouls visitants post-terrestrials apparitions, Lidewij. How can someone pursuing a postgraduate degree in American literature display such abominable English-language skills?”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---