spectral

American  

[spek-truhl] / ˈspɛk trəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a specter; ghostly; phantom.

2. resembling or suggesting a specter.

3. of, relating to, or produced by a spectrum or spectra.

4. resembling or suggesting a spectrum or spectra.

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spectral British  

/ spɛkˈtrælɪtɪ, ˈspɛktrəl /

adjective

1. of or like a spectre

2. of or relating to a spectrum

   spectral colours

3. physics (of a physical quantity) relating to a single wavelength of radiation

   spectral luminous efficiency

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Other Word Forms

• nonspectral adjective
• nonspectrality noun
• nonspectrally adverb
• spectrality noun
• spectrally adverb
• spectralness noun

Etymology

Origin of spectral

First recorded in 1710–20; from Latin spectr(um) ( specter ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Those spectra tracked changing signatures in the ejected gas, and new spectral features matched up with structures seen in the interferometric images, providing a direct one-to-one confirmation of how the flows were forming and colliding.

From Science Daily

Measurements show that this distant supernova closely matches the brightness and spectral features of SN 1998bw, a well known supernova linked to a gamma ray burst that exploded much closer to Earth.

From Science Daily

Here are a few personal favorites, beginning with three from Mike Flanagan, TV’s master spinner of spectral tales.

From Los Angeles Times

It felt very spectral and almost phantasmagorical and certainly not a depiction of a truth.

From Los Angeles Times

At the same time, they generate electroluminescence with an extremely narrow spectral width.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• eerie
• shadowy