ethereal
adjective
William Beebe 
Did you know?
If you're burning to know the history of ethereal, you're in the right spirit to fully understand that word's etymology. The ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was composed of earth, air, fire, and water, but that the heavens and its denizens were made of a purer, less tangible substance known as either ether or quintessence. Ether was often described as an invisible light or fire, and its name derives from the Greek aithein, a verb meaning "to ignite" or "to blaze." When ethereal, the adjectival kin of ether, debuted in English in the 1500s, it referred to regions beyond the Earth or anything that seemed to originate from there.
Synonyms
- bodiless
- formless
- immaterial
- incorporeal
- insubstantial
- nonmaterial
- nonphysical
- spiritual
- unbodied
- unsubstantial
Example Sentences
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2022 The floor-length piece was sleeveless, and featured an ethereal, abstract print in vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, grays, and blues. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Sep. 2022 At the 2011 Met Gala, Williams arrived in an ethereal floor-length feathered Oscar de la Renta gown and fascinator. Leah Dolan, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 More than 1,000 handkerchiefs and 500 meters of fabric were cut into ruffles to make an ethereal version of Ralph Lauren’s classic turtleneck column dress. Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 Light up their life with this neon LED tube, which gives any space an ethereal glow. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 15 Aug. 2022 Because the region is experiencing extreme heat, the team plans to wait until nightfall before moving the ethereal white creature. Thomas Adamson, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022 Because despite the fact that the past few years' themes — time and camp, namely — delivered some fantastic beauty looks, little can compare to the level of ethereal beauty seen on the red carpet in New York City on May 2. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 2 May 2022 Even in retirement, years after his final broadcast in 2016, his presence remained both ubiquitous and ethereal, like the ocean and the air. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
ethereal
adjective
Medical Definition
ethereal
adjective
ethereality
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- etherealness
- airiness
- lightness
- weightlessness
- delicacy
- slightness
- insubstantiality
- flimsiness
- fluffiness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ponderousness
- heaviness
- solidity
- massiveness
- weightiness
- substantiality
- solidness
- heftiness