ghostology

English

Etymology

From ghost +‎ -ology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡəʊsˈtɒləd͡ʒi/

Noun

ghostology (usually uncountable, plural ghostologies)

1. The knowledge, or study of ghosts or spirits; the science of the supernatural; spiritism.
   • 1872, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Septimius Felton; or, the Elixir of Life‎^[1]:

     […] it seemed even more unaccountable than if it had been a thing of ghostology and witchcraft.

   • 1908, H. Addington Bruce, “The Ghost Seen by Lord Brougham”, in Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters‎^[2]:

     This, as all students of ghostology are aware, has frequently been the case; and it was precisely the case with the ghost seen by the famous Lord Brougham, […]

   • 1957, William L. Fischer, Critical Notes on Evolution, page 30:

     Experts in ghostology know exactly, where ghosts live, how they behave, how to deal with them, how to make them appear and disappear.

Related terms

• ghostological
• ghostologist

See also

• ghostlore