25 Must-Know Halloween Words for a Spooky Season

Learn these words and phrases, and they’ll help you understand and participate in Halloween conversations, decorations, and activities.

In our next section, we’ll expand your vocabulary even further with an A to Z list of even more Halloween words.

Expand your Halloween vocabulary with this comprehensive A to Z list of spooky terms. This will be especially useful for intermediate learners. This section will make you a true Halloween wordsmith.

A

• Apparition – A ghost or ghostlike image
• Autumn – The season of Halloween, used in the UK, in contrast to the American word “fall.”

B

• Bat – A nocturnal flying mammal
• Bone – Part of a skeleton
• Broomstick – A witch’s flying device

C

• Cauldron – A large pot for brewing potions
• Cobweb – A spider’s web, often found in haunted houses
• Costume – A disguise worn for Halloween

D

• Demon – An evil spirit
• Dracula – A famous vampire character

E

• Eerie – Strange and frightening
• Enchant – To put under a spell

F

• Fangs – Sharp, pointed teeth
• Frankenstein – A famous literary monster created from body parts

G

• Ghost – A spirit of the dead
• Goblin – A mischievous, ugly creature
• Graveyard – A burial ground

H

• Haunted – Inhabited by ghosts
• Howl – A long, mournful cry

I

• Incantation – A magical spell or chant

J

• Jack-o’-lantern – A carved pumpkin with a light inside

L

• Lantern – A portable light, often used in Halloween decorations
• Lurk – To wait in hiding, often with evil intent

M

• Mask – A covering for the face
• Mummy – A preserved, bandaged corpse
• Macabre – Disturbing because of involvement with death

N

• Nightmare – A frightening dream
• Nocturnal – Active at night

O

• Occult – Supernatural or magical
• Ominous – Suggesting evil or harm is coming

P

• Phantom – A ghost or apparition
• Potion – A magical liquid with special powers
• Pumpkin – The iconic orange Halloween vegetable

Q

• Quiver – To shake or tremble, often with fear

R

• Raven – A large black bird, similar to a crow, associated with mystery
• Revenant – A person who returns from the dead

S

• Skeleton – The bones of a body
• Specter – A ghost or phantom
• Spell – A magical saying

T

• Tombstone – A stone marking a grave
• Trick-or-treat – The Halloween custom of children asking for candy

U

• Undead – Technically dead but still animate
• Unearthly – Mysterious and frightening

V

• Vampire – A mythical blood-sucking creature
• Voodoo – A type of magic based on African rituals

W

• Werewolf – A person who transforms into a wolf
• Witch – A person believed to have magical powers

X

• Xenomorphobia – Fear of strange or foreign things (like monsters!)

Y

• Yowl – A loud, wailing cry

Z

• Zombie – An undead creature that feeds on human flesh

This A to Z list covers a wide range of Halloween-related words, with a mix of common and maybe less-familiar words.

In our next section, we’ll move on into even creepier territory with a list of particularly advanced Halloween words. Get ready to send shivers down your spine!

This section of Halloween vocabulary is for advanced learners or even native English speakers! These terms are perfect for setting a spooky atmosphere, writing scary stories, or maybe just impressing your friends with your ghoulish lexicon.

• Bloodcurdling – Extremely frightening; causing terror
  Usage: “The bloodcurdling scream echoed through the haunted house.”
• Cadaverous – Resembling a corpse; pale and gaunt
  Usage: “The vampire’s cadaverous appearance sent chills down her spine.”
• Diabolical – Characteristic of the devil; extremely wicked
  Usage: “The witch’s diabolical laugh filled the air as she stirred her potion.”
• Eldritch – Strange and frightening; otherworldly
  Usage: “An eldritch glow emanated from the abandoned graveyard.”
• Ghastly – Causing great horror or fear; shockingly frightful
  Usage: “The ghastly sight of the zombie horde approaching left them paralyzed with fear.”
• Macabre – Disturbing due to its connection with death or injury
  Usage: “The macabre decorations in the haunted house included fake severed limbs.”
• Malevolent – Having or showing a wish to do evil to others
  Usage: “The malevolent spirit haunted the old mansion, terrorizing its inhabitants.”
• Nefarious – Wicked, villainous, or criminal
  Usage: “The mad scientist’s nefarious plan involved creating an army of monsters.”
• Ominous – Giving the worrying impression that something bad is going to happen
  Usage: “Dark, ominous clouds gathered as they approached the haunted forest.”
• Phantasmagorical – Having a fantastic or deceptive appearance
  Usage: “The Halloween party was a phantasmagorical spectacle of costumes and decorations.”
• Sinister – Giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening
  Usage: “A sinister shadow crept along the wall, growing larger with each passing moment.”
• Supernatural – Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature
  Usage: “The old house was known for supernatural occurrences, like objects moving on their own.”
• Terrifying – Extremely frightening; causing intense fear
  Usage: “The terrifying howl of the werewolf sent everyone running for safety.”
• Unearthly – Mysterious and frightening; seeming to come from another world
  Usage: “An unearthly mist rolled in, obscuring the path through the cemetery.”
• Wicked – Evil or morally wrong
  Usage: “The wicked witch cackled as she cast her spell on the unsuspecting villagers.”

Use these words to add a special flair to your creative writing or Halloween storytelling!

In our next section, we’ll explore Halloween traditions from around the world and add a global perspective. Get ready to discover how different cultures celebrate this haunting holiday!

While Halloween as we know it originated from the Celtic festival of Samhain, many cultures around the world have their own unique traditions and celebrations that share similar themes. Let’s check out some of these global Halloween-like festivities and the special words associated with them.

The colorful celebration of Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, honors deceased loved ones. Families often create elaborate ofrendas (altars) in their homes, adorned with photos of their passed loved ones, their favorite foods, and vibrant marigolds to guide the spirits back. It takes place from October 31 to November 2.

Key words:

• Calaveras – Decorative skull representations
• Ofrenda – An altar with offerings for the dead
• Papel picado – Decorative paper cutouts
• Cempasúchil – Marigold flowers used in decorations

The Celtic origin of Halloween is Samhain and is celebrated on October 31. Traditionally, people would carve turnips (not pumpkins) into lanterns to ward off evil spirits and leave offerings of food and drink for the fairies and souls of the dead. But when the holiday was brought to the US and eventually turned into Halloween, they replaced radishes with the indigenous vegetable, the pumpkin.

Key words:

• Barmbrack – A fruity bread with hidden objects inside
• Púca – A shape-shifting creature in Irish folklore
• Banshee – A female spirit whose wail predicts death

The Zhōngyuán Festival is a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival and is also known as the Ghost Festival. It is held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month. It’s common for people to prepare elaborate feasts and leave empty seats at the table for the spirits of their ancestors to join in the meal.

Key words:

• 饿鬼 (è guǐ) – “Hungry Ghost”; Spirits of the deceased who visit the living
• 冥钱 (míng qián) – Paper items burned as offerings to the dead
• 鬼戏 (guǐ xì) – “Ghost opera” or theatrical performances for both the living and the dead

Obon is a Buddhist event honoring ancestral spirits, usually held in August. It was heavily influenced by the Ghost Festival. During Obon, Japanese people participate in Bon Odori, traditional folk dances performed in yukata (summer kimono) around a wooden scaffold. Another key aspect of the festival is visiting and cleaning ancestors’ graves, often bringing flowers and incense as offerings, to show respect and maintain a connection with their departed loved ones. Some people hang lanterns or light fires to guide the spirits of their ancestors back to the world of the living.

Key words:

• • 提灯 (Chōchin) – Lanterns to guide spirits (If you’re a Pokemon fan, you might see the familiarity with this concept and the Ghost-type Pokemon Chinchou!)
  • 盆踊り(Bon Odori) – Traditional dances performed during the festival
  • 迎え火 (Mukaebi) – “Welcoming fire” lit to guide spirits home

Walpurgisnacht is a spring festival celebrated on April 30, with themes similar to Halloween. It is often celebrated with bonfires, which are believed to ward off evil spirits and witches. In some areas, particularly in the Harz Mountains, people dress up as witches and devils, parading through towns and villages in a festive celebration of spring’s triumph over winter.

Key words:

• Hexe – Witch
• Blocksberg – Legendary gathering place for witches
• Maibaum – Maypole, often erected as part of the celebrations

Pangangaluluwa is a tradition similar to trick-or-treating, practiced on All Saints’ Day (November 1). Families often spend the night at cemeteries, cleaning and decorating the graves of their loved ones, and sharing food and memories in a festive atmosphere that combines solemnity with celebration.

Key words:

• Atang – Offerings left for the dead
• Kalag-Kalag – The Filipino observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day
• Pangangaluwa – The act of going house-to-house, singing for alms

Clearly, global traditions honor the dead and celebrate the supernatural in different ways! They share common themes of remembrance, respect for the deceased, and acknowledgment of the spirit world.

But we know Halloween has expanded internationally, too. Next, we’ll explore how Halloween specifically is expressed in various languages around the world!

Halloween has spread to many parts of the world, with each culture adopting and adapting the celebration in their own unique ways. Let’s explore how Halloween is expressed in different languages and some key Halloween-related words in these languages.

Spanish

• Halloween – Noche de Brujas (“Witches’ Night”) or Víspera de Todos los Santos (“All Saints’ Eve”)
• Trick or treat – Truco o trato
• Pumpkin – Calabaza
• Ghost – Fantasma
• Witch – Bruja

French

Learning new vocabulary doesn’t have to be a chore, especially when it comes to fun and spooky Halloween words. If you’re a teacher of any language and are wanting to use some fun activities (or use them with your friends), this section is for you! Here are some engaging activities to help reinforce Halloween vocabulary while getting into the spirit of the season.

Create bingo cards with Halloween words instead of numbers. As you call out definitions or descriptions, players mark off the corresponding words on their cards. This game is great for visual learners and helps associate words with their meanings.

Sit in a circle and start a Halloween story. Each person adds a sentence, but they must include at least one Halloween word from the vocabulary list. This improves both vocabulary and creative storytelling skills.

Act out Halloween words without speaking. This game is particularly fun with action words like “lurk,” “haunt,” or “brew,” and helps connect words with physical actions for better memory retention.

Create or find Halloween-themed crossword puzzles and word searches. These classic word games are excellent for reinforcing spelling and word recognition.

Hide Halloween-related objects or pictures around your home or classroom. Provide a list of vocabulary words, and have participants find the object that matches each word. This activity connects words with visual representations.

Describe a Halloween costume using as many vocabulary words as possible. Others try to guess the costume. This game enhances descriptive language skills and vocabulary usage in context.

Host a Halloween-themed spelling bee using words from your vocabulary list. This traditional activity is great for improving spelling and pronunciation.

Create or use pre-made Halloween-themed Mad Libs, focusing on using the new vocabulary words as fill-in-the-blanks. This activity helps understand parts of speech and word usage in sentences.

Write vocabulary words on small pumpkins or pumpkin cut-outs. Use these for various activities like sorting into categories (e.g., “spooky” vs. “Halloween traditions”), making sentences, or playing memory games.

These activities can be adapted for different age groups and language levels. For younger learners, focus on simpler terms and more visual or kinesthetic activities. For advanced learners, incorporate more complex words and challenge them to use the vocabulary in more sophisticated ways.

By making vocabulary learning a fun and interactive experience, you’re more likely to remember and use these Halloween words long after the jack-o’-lanterns have been put away.

From the essential Halloween terms like “trick-or-treat” and “jack-o’-lantern” to the more spine-chilling words like “phantasmagorical” and “macabre,” we’ve explored a wide range of vocabulary that captures the essence of this eerie celebration. We’ve also checked out Halloween traditions from around the world and discovered how different languages express Halloween concepts.

Why is this vocabulary important? For language learners, it offers a fun and thematic way to expand their English skills. For native speakers, it provides a deeper appreciation of the nuances and richness of language associated with this beloved holiday. And for everyone, it enhances the ability to fully participate in and enjoy Halloween festivities, whether that’s telling a chilling ghost story, describing an elaborate costume, or simply engaging in Halloween-themed conversations.

So, as October 31st approaches, don’t be afraid to put your new vocabulary to use. Describe your costume using those creepy adjectives, share some international Halloween traditions with your friends, or try out a spooky phrase in a different language.

May your Halloween be filled with treats, not tricks, and may your newfound vocabulary serve you well in all your ghostly adventures. Happy Halloween, and happy word-crafting!