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 the 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 (in English transliteration) as either quintessence or ether. Ether was often described as an invisible light or fire; its name comes from the Greek verb aithein, meaning "to ignite" or "to blaze." When ethereal, the adjectival kin of ether, debuted in English in the 1500s, it described regions beyond the Earth or anything that seemed to originate from them.
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Examples of ethereal in a Sentence
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
The spotlight comes in two forms: a literal cone of light, its ethereal glow coming without a clear source in the sky — and the nameless antagonist, which in true teen-horror fashion is the bloodied corpse of someone with a physical spotlight for a head.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024
The song itself is dark and atmospheric, consisting mostly of drone, piano, and Cain’s ethereal voice.
—James Factora, Them, 1 Nov. 2024
From the Curiosity rover’s perspective, clouds look ethereal and gauzy, like wispy puffs.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near ethereal
Cite this Entry
“Ethereal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethereal. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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ethereal
adjective
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ethereal
adjective
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