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.
Examples of ethereal in a Sentence
Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2025
But, these aren’t the bubble-hem basics of yesteryear—instead, these ethereal pieces remain grounded in strength.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
In the film, three young women separated by decades and thousands of miles are terrorized by the same ethereal threat that nobody, not even they, can properly see.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 5 Mar. 2025
If Santo Stefano is cerebral, Santa Sabina is ethereal — as iridescent as a soap bubble but as solid as stone.
—The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ethereal
Cite this Entry
“Ethereal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethereal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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ethereal
adjective
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ethereal
adjective
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