White Lady
Preserved but no longer current.
A sort of ghostly spirit in many countries, the appearance of which generally forebodes death in the house. It is a relic of Teutonic mythology, representing Holda, or Berchta, the goddess who received the souls of maidens and young children.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “White Lady” mean?
A sort of ghostly spirit in many countries, the appearance of which generally forebodes death in the house. It is a relic of Teutonic mythology, representing Holda, or Berchta, the goddess who received the souls of maidens and young children.
Is “White Lady” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.