wraithlike

Wraithlike is an English adjective describing something that resembles or evokes a wraith—an incorporeal, ghostly presence. Objects, scenes, or individuals described as wraithlike tend to seem ethereal, insubstantial, or pale, often moving with a quiet, elusive grace. The term is primarily literary and descriptive, used to create mood rather than to assert literal supernatural status.

Etymology: The noun wraith comes from Scots folklore and English usage, referring to a ghost or apparition. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but it has long been associated with ghostly, uncanny impressions. The adjective wraithlike is formed by adding the suffix -like to wraith, yielding a portable description for ghostly semblance.

Usage: Wraithlike is commonly used to describe people in fiction—figures who appear pale, translucent, or shadowy—as well as nonhuman subjects such as light, mist, or texture that seems ghostly. It can convey mood (mournful, eerie) without implying actual supernatural agency. The term is often slightly poetic or stylistic, but understood in ordinary discourse.

See also: ghost, specter, wraith, ethereal, pallor, insubstantial, apparition.