ethereal
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ethereal
intangible; delicate; heavenly; spiritual: It was an ethereal visitation by someone from another world.
Not to be confused with:
ephemeral – lasting a short time; transitory; short-lived: It was an ephemeral but delightful visit.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
e·the·re·al
(ĭ-thîr′ē-əl)adj.
1. Extremely light or delicate: "An ant lion ... is lovely, long-bodied like a damselfly, with a pair of ethereal wings" (Jennifer Ackerman).
2.
a. Of the celestial spheres; heavenly.
b. Spiritual or otherworldly.
3. Chemistry Of or relating to ether.
[From Latin aetherius, from Greek aitherios, from aithēr, upper air.]
e·the′re·al′i·ty (-ăl′ĭ-tē), e·the′re·al·ness n.
e·the′re·al·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ethereal
(ɪˈθɪərɪəl)adj
1. extremely delicate or refined; exquisite
2. almost as light as air; impalpable; airy
3. celestial or spiritual
4. (Chemistry) of, containing, or dissolved in an ether, esp diethyl ether: an ethereal solution.
5. of or relating to the ether
[C16: from Latin aethereus, from Greek aitherios, from aithēr ether]
eˌthereˈality, eˈtherealness n
eˈthereally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
e•the•re•al
(ɪˈθɪər i əl)adj.
1. light, airy, or tenuous.
2. extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
3. heavenly or celestial.
4. of or pertaining to the upper regions of space.
5. pertaining to, containing, or resembling ethyl ether.
[1505–15; < Latin aethere(us) < Greek aithérios]
e•the`re•al′i•ty, e•the′re•al•ness, n.
e•the′re•al•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ethereal
- First meant "resembling the ether or lightest and most subtle of elements," and now means that something is impalpable or unearthly.See also related terms for subtle.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Adj. | 1. | ethereal - characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air; "figures light and aeriform come unlooked for and melt away"- Thomas Carlyle; "aerial fancies"; "an airy apparition"; "physical rather than ethereal forms" insubstantial, unsubstantial, unreal - lacking material form or substance; unreal; "as insubstantial as a dream"; "an insubstantial mirage on the horizon" |
2. | ethereal - of or containing or dissolved in ether; "ethereal solution" chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions | |
3. | ethereal - of heaven or the spirit; "celestial peace"; "ethereal melodies"; "the supernal happiness of a quiet death" heavenly - of or belonging to heaven or god | |
4. | ethereal - characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy; "this smallest and most ethereal of birds"; "gossamer shading through his playing" delicate - exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury; "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
ethereal
adjective
1. delicate, light, fine, subtle, refined, exquisite, tenuous, dainty, rarefied gorgeous, hauntingly ethereal melodies
2. insubstantial, light, fairy, aerial, airy, intangible, rarefied, impalpable the ethereal world of romantic fiction
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
ethereal
adjectiveThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
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Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
ethereal
[ɪˈθɪərɪəl] adj → etereo/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995