spook

American  

[spook] / spuk /

noun

1. Informal. a ghost; specter.

2. Slang. a ghostwriter.

3. Slang. an eccentric person.

4. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Black person.

5. Slang. an espionage agent; spy.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to haunt; inhabit or appear in or to as a ghost or specter.

2. Informal. to frighten; scare.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to become frightened or scared.

   The fish spooked at any disturbance in the pool.

spook British  

/ spuːk /

noun

1. a ghost or a person suggestive of this

2. a spy

3. slang any pale or colourless alcoholic spirit

   spook and diesel

---

verb

1. to frighten

   to spook horses

   to spook a person

2. (of a ghost) to haunt

Sensitive Note

When referring to a black person, the term spook dates back to the 1940s. It is used with disparaging intent and is perceived as highly insulting. Black pilots who trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II were called the Spookwaffe. Some sources say that black pilots reclaimed this derogatory nickname as a self-referential term of pride.

Other Word Forms

• spookery noun
• spookish adjective

Etymology

Origin of spook

An Americanism first recorded in 1795–1805; from Dutch; cognate with German Spuk

Example Sentences

Read: ‘The bulls are definitely spooked’: Has silver’s stunning rise this year run out of steam?

From MarketWatch

Meanwhile, investors have grown used to outsize growth in revenues from quarter to quarter and are easily spooked by any sign of a slowdown.

From The Wall Street Journal

The shares had been turbocharged by optimism surrounding Broadcom’s AI chip business, but the market got spooked when CEO Hock Tan noted the business’s low gross margins.

From Barron's

Then, a $14 billion fund managed by KKR reported heavy losses from loans gone wrong, and a rash of alleged frauds in companies such as the auto supplier First Brands spooked investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

The proposed changes are mired in jargon, but the potential impact is clear enough to spook many consumer advocates and everyday citizens.

From MarketWatch