Come Halloween, miniature ghosts, ghouls, and goblins ring your doorbell. But each of the three freaky frights has a different history and personality. Only one of them has alarming tendencies towards necrophagia.
One of the only features these staples of the supernatural share is their ghastliness. Ghosts are considered to be the souls of the dead. They are imagined as disembodied spirits, and are often visualized as vague or evanescent forms; hence, the white sheet routine. The Old English gast means “soul, spirit, life, breath.”
A red blood cell having no hemoglobin is also called a ghost. And the word “dord,” one of the strangest in the whole dictionary, is known as a “ghost word.” Learn why, here.
The details behind ”ghoul” are far more malevolent and may have inspired a horror film or two. In Arabic legend, a ghoul is a creature that eats both stolen corpses and children. The word comes from the Arabic ghul, which comes from ghala, meaning “he seized.”
Like ghouls, goblins are malicious, though perhaps not as nightmarish as the flesh eaters above. A goblin is “a grotesque sprite or elf. Goblins can be mischievous. They can also assume human and animal form and assail people.”
Goblin comes from the German kobold. In German folklore, a kobold was a mischievous household spirit. Sometimes the kobold is helpful and sings to children. But too often, he hides valuable household items, kicks people, and erupts in rage when he doesn’t get enough food.
That Jack O’ Lantern on a friendly neighbor’s porch may not seem as scary as a ghoul, but the story of who the “Jack” in “Jack O’ Lantern” is named after may give you the chills. Try not to be scared when you learn the answer, here.
PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL
The wrong part is when we described ghosts or ghouls or goblins our imagination shrouded with its bad-ugly face. About bad spirit explained in general about them, yes, I agree. But, the their physical appearance on sight like what has been illustrated by the embedded and published above, I can’t believe it.
IMAGINATION AND ILLUSION
When an imagination crossed over profound experience, there comes the scary element in our mind, brain, and blood. Most of us scared for things we’ve not yet seen. At this point, imagination turns into illusion.
THE BEST EXAMPLE
When we walk alone into graveyard during day time, the surrounding never scared us, I mean we can still withstand and our mind is under control. But why? Why we feel so scare once the time of visit is getting dark?
MY CONCLUSION
“Darkness” in having profound experience completely with knowledge with those elements of; ghosts, ghouls, and goblins; making us enjoy the unnecessary scary thing about them.
I find all of this stuff fascinating. Thanks, Hot Word!
[...] Ghouls, Goblins and Ghosts, and even the Gargoyles are toast. — We prefer meaty — Hot, sour and sweetly — a good old fashioned Pig Roast. — The Horror is reality squared — since not too many have cared — for anyone else or the earth of our birth — it’s paying the Piper for all that it’s worth — is what it is eventually shared. –>>Rupert L.T.Rhyme [...]
Happy Halloween Dictionary.com!
In the movie by Wim Wenders about a couple decade ago about angels over Berlin city, I don’t remember the title, a small scene of a Nazi officer
was seen then cut to angels wondering.
little monsters are something like that;it could have been a whole Nazi movie but it was not.
Happy Halloween! Thanks, Hot Word! 
nice topic, but im really having doubts about where you guys get your info.
“Goblin…But too often, he hides valuable household items, kicks people, and erupts in rage when he doesn’t get enough food.”
Sounds like one of my relatives during PMS.
we are wondered by looking at your halloween festival. It’s amazing. we want to know your culture why do you celebrate this?
I think goblins are
Also why is it you aren’t scared of something but when you’re alone and the lights aren’t on you become so scared it is un real????????????
Hmm…….I wonder how many links dictionary.com could put in one blog. JW
~Chick Drummer~
happy late halloween to all
i think candy taste good
I was quite amused by the link to the explanation of the word dord. To think that a little mistake like that could lead to a new “ghost word”. I think I am going to start using it now…
anything but black & white: re:Wim Wenders
It’s “Wings of Desire”… & as I was googling it, was remembering “City of Angels” -both lovely in their very different ways
I have seen a demon before
Ghouls are the most grotesque and brutal of all.
I think that ghouls are truly, amazingly, disturbingly more discusting than everything else. They remind me of my little brothers theory of THE BOOGEY MAN! I think that everyone else agrees with me too. Although, if u see some horror flicks, u see that some ghost movies are kind-of gorry (please excuse my misspelled words) like the Poltgergeist, some of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv shows, and the Paranomal Activity movies. Now goblins, they are miny dwarfs that are just plain weird and and strange. They can be creapy some times but there is nothing gross about them except for their drool. Lol. So back to ghouls, they drool, and are trickey, small tricksters, remind me of Lepracouhns, (which kind of freak me out) and look puke with legs and arms along with a brain (trickster brain)!!!!!!
~Ella The GREEN MONKEY (awesome!)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL! Please tell me what u are gonna be for halloween on my email ENawesome@gmail.com because I need a list of KOOLIO costumes for my website! Keep me posted (on email). Thank you!!!!! XD ~Awesome Ella GREEN MONKEY
Happy Halloween to all a good night
So, I have a pretty good inclination to suspect that my little sister is, in reality, a goblin. Thanks dictionary.com my suspicions are finally confirmed.
Odyseuss, where have you seen a demon!?!
I send my blessings to you, Odyseuss. Halloween is demonic. Just felt the need to tell all my fellow Americans that Trick-or-Treat. Be careful of the candy you eat. 
huh…… i never knew so much about ghosts, goblins, and ghouls….. thanks…… happy halloween dictionary.com!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN DICTIONARY.COM!!!!
~REECE <3
Ghost r the most ruthless creatures there is
Ghosts they really do.
One could experience this unique phenomena if he/she visits Mongolia for a Shaman. Shamans in Mongolia (holy people into which upper sky heavenly ghosts come) share their body with heavenly ghosts(heavenly ghosts-those designated ones who have spotted their particular shaman long time ago even before they were born), and practice a unique exercise i.g. unlike other African drug sniffing way of receiving heavenly ghosts, they make use of naturally grown aromatic grass, burn it to give out smoke, and in their special clothing and drum they carry out the activity. Hence, from my experience watching on TV the scenes of North American Indian shamans, I suppose the way Mongolian shamans receive their heavenly ghosts into their body is frankly the same in a way.
Shamans see through you and foretell your future, and also tell you what’s right and wrong.
Usually those heavenly ghosts choose to land onto their descendants to assume a real body form and have usual talks with their blood related new generation about rights and wrongs, and the descendants (current shamans) without knowing are almost forced to receive their ancestors(heavenly ghosts).
The destined people (shamans) eventually find out that they are designated should receive the heavenly ghosts, otherwise, you start to undergo a usually a severe illness or any symptom of illness that is very tricky which is hard to be diagnosed. By doing this, the heavenly ghosts are not doing a bad thing, but this is the only way they could possibly let themselves know that they have the intention of getting in touch with their descendants and guide their lives.
Last, heavenly ghosts are capable of fighting against goblins. They can combine their power as one as they have their particular kingdom-like community, and each and every heavenly ghosts are ranked titles according to how much good deed they have done to their descendants’ well-being and the title enables them to possess power and gain respect among the heavenly ghosts in the divine world. All this makes me wonder how big the eternal universe is.
Adding on to the information on ghouls, they are often depicted as possessing blood-red eyes and teeth like the curved blades of Arab knives- the kind designed for rending flesh. They spread disease wherever they went and were typically described as faceless. Most lived underground in holes in the earth.
Also, when they mention the name ‘ghul’, it should be said that the proper way to refer to them if you’re going off the Arabic term is ‘al-ghul’, both for individuals and the collective whole. The name ended up being given to a star, although slightly altered to Algol. Another nickname for it, this one from the Greeks, is The Eye of Medusa because it flickered and was said to be a demonic star by both cultures.
The more you know! Happy Halloween!
I dont like any one of them
happy halloween eveyone hope we see some ghosts
Keep fascinating me with the detailed explanations and interesting topics that sometimes surprise me- keep doing HOT WORD!
Happy Halloween dictionarycom
i agree that ghost are probly the worst of them all
ummm ghosts are !
hi
karima sultana: In answer to your question, research “All Saint’s Day”, “All Hallow’s Day”, and “All Hallow’s Eve”. All Hallow’s Eve became “Halloween”.
People ask, why are we so scared when the lights go out?
The answer is simple: less vision.
When the lights go out, our vision is impared making it harder to see in the dark. Even after our eyes ajust to the darkness are minds are still scare. the only time this does not happen is when you are tired and your mind wants to drift off into that neverending dreamland that lasts only about 8 seconds.
When darkness enshrouds us, our minds instantly asume somthing is wrong and therefore makes your body become (or at leas try to) more aware of its surroundings, which is why our eyes ajust. We focus more.
Now, why we are scared more is bcause when the lights go out we are more, for lack of a better word, Defenseless. think of it this way; you are alone minding your own business when a friend jumps up from behind you and you jump out of fright, well in darkness its like that all the time because, untill our eyes ajust, they play tricks on you. Look at yourself into a mirror in semi-darkness. you will notice your eyes look dark and empty and your skin is dark in many places. It seems a bit unerving.
So a simple way to put it is… in a sence most humans, even as adults, are scared of the dark
very cool!
None of these exists its only the actual result of. Fear of somethi one doesn’t know.infact I haven’t seen any of this shit
I really like reading these short articles on history, folk tale, or legends. They are really interesting… like this one and the Prometheus one, I remember reading a while back. Thanks dictionary.com
[...] said, there have been a multitude of Halloween-related specials this week. Today’s article, What is the precise difference between ghouls, goblins, and ghosts? is definitely worth checking out. You might THINK that you know the differences, but, well, you [...]
FIRST COMMENT!!! And happy halloween!!!
i loved the kittle darkness lesson there bro nice going i never would have thought about it like that
btw. maybey the reason’s we see the’se thing’s is because of a little phenomenon called (R.E.M.) though we only do it while we’re sleeping,some of us ,like myself, have the tendancies to be half-awake. now im only 16 years of age but im gothic lol so i got time to think and ponder and such… anyway you’re half-awake, so your body can still perform R.E.M. fyi(R.E.M. is rapid eye movement it is what cuases us to dream) so that bieng said, those people who said they have seen ghost or felt thing’s such as when your half-awke some tend to feel as if they are floating away, while having r.e.m in this state of manner you could expierience strong hellucionations possibly such as ghost,goblins,or ghouls. haha im just being logical but everyone earns something new everyday
Ghouls are a staple in the Hungarian diet. It’s called ghoulash.