A ghost is the soul or the spectre of a deceased person. The spirit of a ghost lives on after the death of their body. Ghosts inhabit a shadowy netherworld between the living and the dead. They are able to return in the nebulous likeness of living people.

Ghosts are usually thought to haunt the places or people who are connected to some strong emotion in their past life. This could be a place of fear, of remorse, or even terror before a violent death.

Ghosts generally appear as apparitions, although many other types of haunting occur. These could include the movement of objects, the appearance of strange lights, strange sounds such as disembodied screams, knocking at doors, or footsteps. Some people believe that ghosts maintain the personality of the person following his or her death.

Ghosts are often of a human size or shape, but are typically described as being shadowy, hazy, or almost transparent. Ghosts, according to some people, are made from ectoplasm, which gives them their subtle astral body.

Ghosts may sometimes not even appear, instead causing objects to move, turning lights on and off, and making noises that have no natural explanation. Some people believe that ghosts are souls who were unable to find rest after their death, and have instead returned to earth.