The Investigator's Lexicon: An A-Z Glossary of Paranormal Terms

Stop guessing, start investigating. Level up your paranormal vocabulary with our new Investigator’s Lexicon. A must-read for any ghost hunting fan!

You know what to look for. We know where to find it.

Quick Points:

Decode the Jargon of the Hunt: Finally understand the real difference between a “Residual Haunting” and an “Intelligent Haunting,” and learn what investigators actually mean when they shout “EVP!”
Master the Lexicon of the Unseen: Explore dozens of essential terms from A to V, covering everything from classic ghostly phenomena and psychic abilities to the high-tech gear seen on TV.
Go From Fan to Aficionado: Move beyond the basics and gain the vocabulary to discuss the paranormal with confidence, whether you’re analyzing a show or joining a real investigation.
Discover the Stories Behind the Words: Learn not just what the terms mean, but the fascinating history and theories behind them, giving you a much deeper appreciation for the paranormal field.

Ever find yourself watching a paranormal investigation, completely captivated, but getting lost in the jargon? You hear investigators call out terms like “EVP,” “residual,” and “intelligent,” and you wonder: what’s the real difference between a ghost and a poltergeist? Is every floating light an orb? And what exactly is a “spirit box” scanning for?

Welcome to the fascinating, and often complex, language of the paranormal.

Like any specialized field, paranormal research has its own unique lexicon. Understanding these terms is the key that unlocks a deeper appreciation for the work investigators do. It allows you to move beyond being a passive viewer of spooky television and become an informed enthusiast, able to think critically about evidence and understand the rich history behind the hunt.

This A-Z glossary is your go-to resource. We’ve compiled and defined the essential terminology—from the types of hauntings to the tools of the trade—to help you speak the language of spirits fluently. Whether you’re a curious newcomer just starting your journey or a seasoned fan looking to sharpen your knowledge, consider this your lexicon for the unseen world. Let’s begin.

The A-Z Glossary of Essential Paranormal Terms

A - C

Anomaly: In paranormal investigation, this is a catch-all term for anything that shows up in the data—be it audio, video, or environmental readings—that is out of the ordinary and cannot be immediately explained. An audio anomaly might be a potential EVP, while a visual anomaly could be a strange light or shadow in a photograph.
Apparition: This is the classic visual manifestation of a spirit or entity. It can range in form from a faint, translucent mist to a fully-formed figure that looks as solid and real as a living person (see also: Full-Bodied Apparition) before suddenly vanishing.
Attachment: Unlike a typical haunting that is tied to a specific location or building (a “place memory”), an attachment is when a spirit is believed to have connected or “attached” itself directly to a living person, following them wherever they go. This is considered a much rarer and more personal form of haunting.
Automatic Writing: A claimed psychic ability or spiritualist practice where a person produces written words, letters, or symbols without conscious thought. The hand is believed to be guided by an external spirit or, as some skeptics suggest, by the writer’s own subconscious mind.
Clairvoyance (“Clear Seeing”): A form of Extrasensory Perception (ESP) where a person receives information in the form of mental “visions” or images about a person, place, or event that isn’t perceivable through normal sight.
Clairsentience (“Clear Feeling”): Arguably one of the most common intuitive abilities reported by investigators. This is the capacity to feel or sense the emotional energy of a location or spirit, which might manifest as a sudden, overwhelming wave of sadness, anger, or even a specific physical sensation (like a headache or shortness of breath) that has a historical connection to the site.
Cold Spot: A distinct, localized area where the temperature is significantly colder than its immediate surroundings, with no discernible cause like a draft or an air vent. The long-standing paranormal theory is that spirits must draw thermal energy from the environment in order to manifest, causing this noticeable drop in temperature.

D - F

Debunking: One of the most crucial steps in any credible paranormal investigation. Debunking is the process of actively trying to find a rational, scientific, or logical explanation for a paranormal claim before accepting it as supernatural. It’s the act of being a good skeptic to ensure that the evidence that remains is truly unexplainable.
Demonic Haunting: Considered the rarest and most controversial type of haunting. Unlike a human spirit, this is believed to be caused by a malevolent, non-human entity with the intent to cause fear, oppression, and ultimately, harm to the living. It’s a claim investigators treat with extreme caution and skepticism.
Direct Voice Phenomenon (DVP): A paranormal event where a voice or sound is heard audibly by the human ear in real-time, without any discernible physical source (i.e., you hear it in the room, not just on a recording). It is a specific type of Disembodied Voice.
Disembodied Voice: A broader term for any voice or sound that is heard without a visible, physical source. This can refer to a DVP (heard with the ear) or an EVP (captured on a recording device).
Doppelgänger: A ghostly double or exact apparition of a living person. In folklore and paranormal literature, seeing a doppelgänger is often considered a sinister omen or a sign of impending misfortune.
Dowsing Rods: A tool used in attempts to locate unseen energy. Typically two L-shaped metal rods, they are held loosely, and investigators watch for them to cross or move apart in response to questions or as they walk over a specific area, theoretically indicating an energetic presence.
Ectoplasm: A historical term from the height of the Spiritualism movement. It was described as a supernatural viscous substance that was said to emanate from the body of a physical medium during a trance, often forming into spiritual shapes or faces.
EMF (Electromagnetic Field): A physical field of energy produced by electrically charged objects—everything from power lines to cell phones. Paranormal investigators use EMF meters to detect spikes or fluctuations in this field, as some theories suggest a spirit’s presence can disrupt or create its own EMF.
Entity: A general, catch-all term used by investigators to describe any perceived paranormal being, such as a ghost, spirit, or other non-human presence. It’s a neutral term used when the specific nature of the presence is unknown.
EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena): Voices, sounds, or words captured on an electronic recording device (like a digital voice recorder) that were not audible to the human ear at the time of the recording. EVPs are often graded by clarity (Class A, B, C).
Extrasensory Perception (ESP): The umbrella term for the ability to acquire information by means other than the known physical senses (sight, hearing, touch, etc.). This includes abilities like Clairvoyance, Clairsentience, and Precognition.
Full-Bodied Apparition: The “holy grail” of paranormal evidence. This is a visual manifestation of a spirit that appears completely solid, detailed, and as real as a living person, often for a brief moment before vanishing. It is the rarest and most sought-after type of apparition.

G - M

Ghost: The classic term for the spirit or soul of a deceased person that is believed to linger in or return to the earthly realm. Ghosts are often thought to be tied to a location, object, or person that was significant to them in life.
Imprint: A form of Residual Haunting where the strong energy of a person or a dramatic, repeated, or traumatic event is believed to have been absorbed by an object or the physical environment. This energy can then “replay” under certain conditions, much like a recording.
Infestation: A term used to describe a haunting that escalates over time, often involving a variety of phenomena and sometimes believed to be caused by multiple spirits or a single, more powerful entity. It moves beyond isolated incidents into a persistent and pervasive presence.
Intelligent Haunting: In direct contrast to a Residual Haunting, this is a haunting where the spirit or entity appears to be conscious, aware of its surroundings, and can interact with the living. It might respond to questions, move objects on command, or otherwise show clear signs of awareness.
K-II Meter: A popular and widely used type of EMF meter in paranormal investigations, known for its simple, color-coded LED light display. The lights progress from green (low EMF) to yellow, orange, and red (high EMF), providing a quick visual indicator of field strength changes.
Matrixing (or Pareidolia): A crucial concept for any investigator. This is the brain’s natural and very common tendency to find familiar patterns—like faces in clouds, or voices in static—where none actually exist. Acknowledging matrixing is key to responsibly debunking false EVPs and visual evidence.

O - P

Orb: A sphere or ball of light, often translucent or white, that appears in photographs or videos. While some investigators believe certain orbs represent spiritual energy, they are one of the most highly debated and frequently debunked forms of paranormal evidence. The vast majority of orbs are proven to be reflections of light off dust, moisture, pollen, or insects near the camera lens.
Poltergeist: From the German words for “noisy ghost.” This is a type of haunting characterized not by apparitions, but by physical disturbances and chaos. This can include loud, unexplained noises, objects being moved or thrown, furniture being overturned, and lights turning on and off. Some theories suggest poltergeist activity is caused not by a deceased spirit, but by the subconscious psychokinetic energy of a living person (an “agent”), often an adolescent under stress.
Possession: An extremely rare and highly controversial claim in which a spirit or, more sinisterly, a non-human entity is believed to take partial or complete control of a living person’s body and mind. This is a claim treated with the utmost seriousness and skepticism by investigators, who would first seek to rule out all possible psychological or medical explanations.
Precognition: A form of Extrasensory Perception (ESP) involving the ability to see or know about events before they actually happen. This is often experienced in the form of premonitions or prophetic dreams.
Psychokinesis (PK): The ability to move or manipulate physical objects with the power of the mind, without any physical contact. This is the phenomenon believed to be the “engine” behind poltergeist activity, such as a glass sliding across a table or a door slamming shut.

R - V

REM Pod: A popular piece of modern ghost-hunting equipment. The REM Pod radiates its own small electromagnetic field (like an antenna) and will alarm with lights and sounds if that field is disturbed by anything conductive, such as a person or, theoretically, a spirit entity.
Residual Haunting: Believed to be the most common type of haunting, this is not a conscious spirit but rather an energetic “imprint” or recording of a past event. This psychic impression, often of a traumatic or highly emotional moment, is believed to have been absorbed by the environment and replays itself over and over, like a clip from a movie. The figures in a residual haunting do not interact with or acknowledge the living.
Séance: A gathering of people, often led by a spiritualist medium, who come together with the express purpose of attempting to communicate with the spirits of the dead.
Shadow Person (or Shadow Figure): A type of apparition that appears as a dark, human-shaped shadow. They are often seen in peripheral vision and are known for moving with extreme speed before vanishing. Their true nature and origin are one of the most debated topics in the paranormal community.
SLS Camera (Structured Light Sensor): A camera (originally made popular by the Xbox Kinect gaming system) that projects a grid of infrared dots to map objects and shapes in 3D. Some paranormal investigators believe it can map the form of an unseen entity, which then appears as a recognizable “stick figure” on the device’s screen.
Spirit Box (Ghost Box): A device designed to facilitate real-time communication with spirits. It works by rapidly scanning through AM or FM radio frequencies, creating a constant stream of white noise and audio snippets. The theory is that spirits can manipulate this audio to form words and answer questions.
Trigger Object: An item with historical or emotional significance to a location or a specific spirit that is intentionally placed in an environment to “trigger” a response. Examples include a child’s toy, a deck of cards, a music box, or a historically relevant tool.
Vortex: A theoretical opening or gateway between the physical world and the spirit world. In paranormal photography, it is sometimes claimed to appear as a swirling, funnel-like light anomaly. It is believed to be a point of concentrated spiritual energy.

Alright, consider your paranormal vocabulary officially upgraded! You can now tell your EVPs from your EMFs and your poltergeists from your residual haunts. No more getting lost in the lingo during your next late-night paranormal binge-watch—you’re practically an expert.

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