What is the Latin word for spectre?

The usual Latin words for “spectre” are speciēs, umbra, lārva; also mortuus, Mōstellāria. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“spectre” in Latin

speciēsseeing, view, look; spectacle, sight; external appearance, looks; general outline or shape umbrashadow; shade, ghost, phantom, apparition; the realm of shades, the shades, the world below or underworld lārvaspooky ghost, haunt, evil spirit, terror; horrific mask; banquet ghost: a skeleton doll with movable joints seated at th mortuusdead, having died; decayed, withered; faint, overwhelmed Mōstellāriathe name of a play by Plautus

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

spectre

species (any appearance; e.g., mortui, Apul.): simulacrum vanum (Ov., deceitful appearance): umbra, (shadow; e.g., mortui, Suet.): larva (disembodied soul, as an evil spirit of the night). ☞ Spectrum is not Latin in this sense: εἴδωλον only in the sense of the Stoics: mostellum found only in the second (spurious) argument of Plaut., Mostellaria. Apul. has also occursacula noctium: bustorum formidamina: sepulcrorum terriculamenta (terrific spectres haunting graves). To fear spectres, simulacra vana timere: to be disturbed by spectres, umbris inquietari: I see spectres, obviae mihi fiunt species mortuorum.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for spectre?: The usual Latin words for “spectre” are speciēs, umbra, lārva; also mortuus, Mōstellāria. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.