Glossary of Paranormal and ghostly Terms

To help you understand the paranormal we have compiled a list of the most common terms used in the world of the paranormal and ghost hunting.

Halloween – The modern holiday of Halloween may have its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes erroneously regarded as the "Celtic New Year". Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the alive and the deceased would merge and the dead would become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them. Modern day witches still gather on the night of All Hollow’s the 31st October and hold feasts and perform magical rituals.

Haunt – This is a place where a ghosts or spirits frequently return to often a place they once visited when they were amongst the living.

Haunted Chair – This has its origins in English folklore and it is said that a person returns to their favourite seat in the form of a ghost, the seat could be an arm chair in a house, a certain seat in a cinema or theatre.

Haunted – When an area or place has repeated sightings of ghost or unexplained paranormal activity, it is said to be haunted.

Haunted Objects – These can consist of jewellery, clothing or any other object. These items haunted by the previous owner or even seem to have a curse attached to them.