ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

1

a

: of or relating to the regions beyond the earth

b

: celestial, heavenly

c

: unworldly, spiritual

2

a

: lacking material substance : immaterial, intangible

b

: marked by unusual delicacy or refinement

this smallest, most ethereal, and daintiest of birds

—William Beebe

c

: suggesting the heavens or heaven

3

: relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether

ethereality

i-ˌthir-ē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

etherealization

i-ˌthir-ē-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

etherealize

i-ˈthir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

transitive verb

ethereally

i-ˈthir-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

etherealness noun

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.

Synonyms

• bodiless
• formless
• immaterial
• incorporeal
• insubstantial
• nonmaterial
• nonphysical
• spiritual
• unbodied
• unsubstantial

Examples of ethereal in a Sentence

The windows give the church an ethereal glow.

that ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma

Recent Examples on the Web

Stevie Nicks, rock’s ethereal songstress, is shining her light on real-world issues with her first new single in years. —Jennifer McClellan, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024

Mayhew’s mindscape paintings have an ethereal quality to them, in which swaths of color blend into each other. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 27 Sep. 2024

By tapping into these contrasting characters, brands can offer product ranges that appeal to both sides of the consumer personality spectrum, from bold, powerful pieces to more understated, ethereal styles. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

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, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

1

: of or relating to the heavens : heavenly

2

: being light and airy : delicate

ethereally

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

etherealness noun

Medical Definition

ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

: relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether