Spanish word

espíritus

Pronunciation

IPA/esˈpiɾitus/

Meaning

  • masculine nounspirit

Example

La casa vieja está llena de espíritus.

The old house is full of spirits.

Illustration for espíritus (spirit)

More examples

Los espíritus de los antepasados protegen a la comunidad.

Ancestral spirits protect the community.

Core concept

Unseen presences of deceased people.

Common phrases

  • espíritus malignos

    evil spirits

  • espíritus guardianes

    guardian spirits

  • espíritus ancestrales

    ancestral spirits

Similar words

fantasma: A visible apparition of a dead person appearing as a single ghostly figure in stories.
alma: The immaterial essence or consciousness of a person believed to survive bodily death.
difunto: A person who has died.

Definition in Spanish

Seres inmateriales y sobrenaturales, considerados presencias de personas fallecidas; plural de espíritu.

Word origin

From Latin spiritus 'breath' or 'spirit', whose sense 'breath of life' extended to 'soul' and then to supernatural presences, producing Spanish espíritu and the plural espíritus.

Usage tips

  • Espíritus often denotes religious, ancestral, or folkloric presences, while fantasma commonly refers to a single scary ghost in stories.

Other meanings

  • soulnoun
  • moralenoun

Opposites

Related words

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