ghostdom

English

Etymology

From Middle English *gostdom, *gastdom, from Old English gāstdōm (“spirituality”), equivalent to ghost +‎ -dom.

Noun

ghostdom (usually uncountable, plural ghostdoms)

1. The condition, state, or realm of ghosts or spirits; spirituality; spiritualism.
   • 1853, S. B. Brittan, B. W. Richmond, A Discussion of the facts and philosophy of ancient and modern spiritualism:

     I have seized the key that unlocks the mystic realms of ghostdom, and I will hold it as a flaming torch over that dark domain till its shadows have fled forever from the minds of men.

   • 1877, The spiritual magazine:

     Of course non-Christians adopt another method, and they often get the waifs and strays of ghostdom to bother and annoy.

   • 1996, Health Research, Strange Visitors: A Clairvoyant:

     He has been as active as the next man since his arrival in ghostdom.

   • 2003, Iris Johansen, Body of Lies:

     Bonnie sighed. “You've been very challenging, Mama. You still won't admit I'm anything but a dream.” “Because your so-called ghostly powers seem to be rather limited. Ghostdom? What kind of word is that?

   • 2004, Derek Attridge, James Joyce's Ulysses: A Casebook:

     In this ecstatic surge of floral imagery she relinquishes Bloom's presence for his name, and thus bequeaths him with his ghostdom and his passport to eternity.

   • 2005, An Army at War: Change in the Midst of Conflict:

     But what we're seeing is, even the ghostdoms that are coming in and joining the central government, or even Fahim Khan, who was defense minister and first vice president, they are not giving up their militias, [...]

   • 2007, Geordie Buxton, Haunted Plantations:

     If so, he would be one of the most obvious candidates for ghostdom in the Lowcountry.

   • 2008, Allie MacKay, Tall, Dark and Kilted:

     “You mean a different kind of ghostdom than you're living now?” “It will be no ghostdom or afterlife at all.” He tried not to shudder.

Related terms

• ghosthood