Ghost Vs. Apparition: The Subtle Difference
Many people will see an entity and automatically yell out "I just saw a ghost!" That's all fine and dandy, pointing out the green vaporous cloud hovering 3 feet above the floor is a good thing to do. No one would want to miss a sight like that. Unfortunately, most people use the terms ghost and apparition interchangeably. It's important to remember that the word "ghost" indicates a disembodied soul, while an "apparition" is any visual manifestation of spirit activity. A manifestation of a wolf shouldn't be referred to as a ghost, but is actually an apparition. A spirit of a person can be referred to as an apparition, but it's best to refer to them as a ghost.
If that wasn't confusing enough, consider all the other words which can also be used to refer to an apparition:
| Essence |
Presence |
Spirit |
| Manifestation |
Shade |
Spook |
| Nightshade |
Shadow |
Vision |
| Phantasm |
Soul |
Wraith |
| Phantom |
Spectre |
Entity |
That's quite a few different phrases to refer to basically the same thing.
The difference between ghost and apparition is very subtle, but it's good to know there's a difference. Especially at your next paranormal cocktail party.
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