Phrase guide

ghost ship

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An abandoned ship, or (science fiction, by extension) spaceship, that is haunted and possibly adrift.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: Mary Celeste, Flying Dutchman

2

noun

Meaning 2

Synonym of shadow ship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shadow ship

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

ghost + ship

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: vaixell fantasma — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Chinese Mandarin: 幽灵船 — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Dutch: spookschip — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Esperanto: fantoma ŝipo — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Finnish: aavelaiva — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • French: vaisseau fantôme — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • German: Geisterschiff — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Greek: πλοίο φάντασμα (ploío fántasma) — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Italian: nave fantasma — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Japanese: 幽霊船 (yūreisen) — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Korean: 유령선 (yuryeongseon) — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Polish: statek widmo — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Portuguese: navio-fantasma — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Spanish: barco fantasma — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Swedish: spökskepp — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted
  • Turkish: hayalet gemi — abandoned, possibly adrift ship that is haunted