Wight is an English word, from Old English wiht, and used to describe a creature or living sentient being. It is akin to Old High German wiht, meaning a creature or thing. In its original usage the word wight described a living human being. More recently, the word has been used within the fantasy genre of literature to describe undead or wraith-like creatures: corpses with a part of their decayed soul still in residence, often draining life from their victims. The earliest example of this usage in English is in William Morris's translation of the Grettis Saga, where draug is translated as "barrow wight". Notable later examples include the undead Barrow-wights from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the reanimated creatures killed by the Others from the works of George R. R. Martin also known as White Walkers in the HBO adaption of A Song of Ice and Fire, and the level-draining wights of Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game franchise.
In the novel The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, barrow wights are cruel, evil spirits of the dead men of the Northern Kingdom of Arnor and the realm of Cardolan who fell in battle against the Witch-king of Angmar.
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game "white box" set (TSR, 1974), wights are described as being able to drain away energy levels on a touch.
In the Warhammer Fantasy Battle setting (1983–2015), wights are deathless warriors from ancient times brought back to life by Dark Magic. This power not only revives them, but twists their armour and imbues them with fell power. Their weapons bear such potent enchantments that a single cut is enough to kill a living human.
In the setting of the World of Darkness role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade (1991-present), the term "wight" is used to refer to vampires who have succumbed utterly to their monstrous natures and become semi-mindless predators. The Vampire: The Requiem game in the updated Chronicles of Darkness setting (2004-present) instead uses the term "draugr" to refer to such creatures.
In the setting of the Warcraft online role-playing games (1994–present), Wights are creatures similar in appearance to traditional representations of Frankenstein's monster—large, hulking, pallid skinned monsters that were once human, but have been made mindlessly insane through the power of the Scourge.
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels (1996–present) by George R. R. Martin, wights are humans or animals killed by the Others (also known as the White Walkers) who reanimate as undead creatures with pallid skin, black hands and glowing blue eyes. Wights may be physically injured, but even dismembered parts remain animated, so they must be destroyed by fire. The humans who live in the north beyond The Wall—called "wildlings" by the inhabitants of Westeros—burn their dead so that they do not become wights. Wights are not vulnerable to obsidian and Valyrian steel, as the Others are.
In the games Heroes of Might and Magic III (1999) and V (2006), wights are creature in the Necropolis faction.
In the online role-playing game RuneScape (2001), the Mahjarrat Sliske is notorious for his collection of warrior wights.
In the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series, wights are evolved hollowgasts which become human by consuming peculiar souls, but have blank white eyes.
In the videogame Ghost Master, wights are a type of ghost, bound to Earth and Corpses. Blackcrow is the only ghost falling into that category.
In the card game Magic the Gathering, wights are black-aligned creatures ; up to there, four wight cards have been printed ; wights were once a creature type of their own, before being considered as a zombie type.
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