espectre

Espectre is a term used in several languages to denote a ghost, spirit, or phantom. In French, spectre is the standard word for a spectral apparition; in English the variants spectre and specter are used; in Spanish, espectro is the common term, with espectre appearing mainly as a loanword.

In popular culture, espectre/spectre refers to specific fictional entities or organizations. In the James Bond canon, SPECTRE is a global criminal syndicate led by Blofeld, introduced in Dr. No (1962). The acronym stands for Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, though variations have appeared over time. The organization is the nemesis of Bond in several films, including Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021).

The Spectre is a DC Comics character—an incorporeal, formless being who embodies the personification of God's vengeance and acts as a force for judgment. He first appeared in More Fun Comics #52 (1940). The character has appeared in various media adaptations, including television and film.

Beyond these uses, spectres and their linguistic variants are employed to discuss ghosts in folklore, literature, and philosophy, or metaphorically to denote looming threats or haunting memories, as in phrases like “the spectre of war” or “spectral evidence.”