Ghost, spirit, wraith, poltergeist or phantom?

This one’s a spooky topic! Do you believe in ghosts? Spirits? Poltergeists? Phantoms or wraiths? Well, it doesn't matter if you believe or not, cos we still find them fascinating in all sorts of media and entertainment, even if they may or may not exist in reality.

So whether or not you believe there’s more to the world than just the material, this article is for everyone who wants to understand the supernatural better.

All of these terms are often grouped together, and some people use them interchangeably, leading to confusion. However, they’re actually quite distinct from one another.

A spirit refers to the soul of a conscious being. A ghost is the spirit of a human who refuses to move on to the afterlife after death. A wraith is a ghost capable of interacting with the physical world, often intelligent and malicious. A poltergeist is a noisy ghost—one you can’t see but can hear, especially as it throws objects around. Finally, a phantom is a remnant of something that once existed, not limited to humans—it could even be a carriage that had been destroyed long ago.

What is a ghost?

Ghosts are the spirits of humans who did not pass on to the afterlife. They often appear in various forms, such as full-bodied apparitions, transparent figures, or foggy mists.

They are typically connected to a specific place or object that the deceased person felt strongly attached to during their lifetime. They remain bound to that area and cannot choose to go elsewhere.

Ghosts do not need to eat. However, they may be associated with food or the act of eating, depending on the memories or objects they are tied to.

Ghosts are not conscious beings and have no purpose. They simply reenact the events leading up to their death. In some cases, they endlessly replay a memory or scene from their life for all eternity. Depending on those events, they may be perceived as either benevolent or malevolent.

They cannot physically interact with the material world. That is why you see them pass through the walls in movies. Maybe they can not throw things at you, but their presence is often accompanied by feelings of fear or emotional distress.

What’s a spirit?

The word spirit comes from spiritus, a Latin word meaning “breath.” In essence, any being without a physical body is considered a spirit.

A spirit is the consciousness of a being—a force that provides life and energy. After death, spirits typically travel to the other world. However, human spirits can sometimes remain in contact with the living through individuals who know how to summon them.

Spirits, like humans, can choose to be good or bad, just as they did during their earthly existence.

If a human spirit lingers on Earth after death and refuses to move on to the next world, it gradually loses its clarity of thought. Over time, it becomes little more than an echo of its past life. In this diminished state, we refer to it as a ghost.

So what’s the difference between a ghost and a spirit?

A spirit is not on Earth, it has moved on to ‘the other world’, while a ghost is still on Earth.  A spirit is conscious, whereas a ghost is not.  All beings have spirits, but ghosts are specifically the spirits of humans who refused to move on to the other world.

What’s a wraith?

Wraiths have different origins across various tales. In folklore, wraiths are often depicted as the spirits of humans who committed wicked acts during their lifetime or spirits cursed to their fate. In Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), they are beings created through magic. In The Lord of the Rings, wraiths (Nazgûl) were once human but became wraiths due to prolonged exposure to the corrupting power of Sauron’s rings. 

Wraiths possess physical forms, allowing them to interact with the material world much like humans. They are intelligent, malicious, and driven by a powerful sense of purpose, continuing to exist until they achieve their goal.

Because wraiths have physical forms, they require energy to sustain themselves. However, they do not consume food like humans. Instead, they feed on the life force of other beings, whether animals or humans. Some wraiths are said to keep their prey alive, draining their life force gradually over time. More often, though, they kill their prey outright, consuming all of their energy in one act.

Additionally, some believe that a wraith will only take the life of its prey if the prey has laid eyes on the wraith.

What is the difference between a ghost and a wraith?

Wraiths have physical forms and can interact with objects, while ghosts are nonmaterial and cannot interact with the physical world.  Wraiths are intelligent and driven by a purpose, whereas ghosts are merely echoes of past lives, lacking both intelligence and purpose.  Wraiths prey on the life force of other beings, whereas ghosts do not require sustenance.

What is a poltergeist?

Poltergeists are noisy ghosts that are invisible to the eye. They can choose to take on a physical form to manipulate objects or dematerialize to pass through walls, much like ghosts. For example, they might turn on your radio in the middle of the night or knock a plate off the table.

Poltergeists are formed from a collective source of human energy, often originating from a gruesome death, and their primary purpose is to instill fear in their victims.

Poltergeists are not confined to a specific area or object. However, they can become associated with certain objects or individuals. Some even believe that poltergeists can be linked to multiple objects and multiple people simultaneously.

So, what’s the difference between a ghost and a poltergeist?

Ghost-like activity is referred to as "haunting," while poltergeist-like activity is called "disturbance."  A ghost is visible, whereas a poltergeist is not.  A ghost is typically attached to a specific object or location, while a poltergeist can be linked to multiple objects and locations, or may not be attached to anything at all.  A poltergeist is also intentionally mischievous, while a ghost lacks both intention and intelligence.

What is a phantom?

A phantom is the collective energy of anything that persists even after its death or destruction. For example, the horse of the Headless Horseman or the clothes he wears are considered phantoms. A ghostly carriage is actually a phantom, and technically not a ‘ghost’.

What’s the difference between a ghost and a phantom?

All ghosts are phantoms, but not all phantoms are ghosts. The Headless Horseman is both a ghost and a phantom, but his horse is only a phantom, because it was not a person in life.

Some people disagree with the notion that all ghosts are phantoms. They argue that phantoms are intelligent, capable of interacting with the physical world, and not tied to a specific place but rather to a person, whereas ghosts lack intelligence and are bound to specific objects or locations, so therefore cannot be phantoms.

All of these definitions are unfortunately loose, as there is no true authority on classifying supernatural phenomena. All the same, I hope we’ve cleared some things up for you