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

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

Their fragrances possess an ethereal, minimalist luxury where each note stands out, and this same approach carries over to their classic candles. —Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 31 Oct. 2024

However, on occasion, some ethereal glow or lighting artifact will materialize in the forest, forcing the eye to try and discern its shape, its distance, and its meaning, without any of these having concrete or objective definition. —Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 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