evanescent
Americanadjective
-
passing out of sight; fading away; vanishing
-
ephemeral or transitory
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of evanescent
First recorded in 1700–1805; from Latin ēvānēscent- (stem of ēvānēscēns ) “vanishing, disappearing”; see evanesce, -ent
Explanation
A beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a wonderful dream right before your alarm clock goes off — all of these could be described as evanescent, which means “fleeting” or “temporary.” Evanescent comes from the Latin ex, meaning "out of," and vanescere, meaning "to vanish." When pronouncing this word, emphasize the third syllable and note that the c is silent. You might want to practice saying evanescent a few times right now; if you stumble over pronunciation when you need this word the most, whatever you’re describing — be it a shooting star or a whiff of fragrant perfume — will be gone.
Vocabulary lists containing evanescent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But unless Gen. Munir can revive the country’s stagnant economy and calm its restive population, his diplomatic gains will likely prove evanescent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
While investors walk on eggshells anticipating Fed decisions, tariff relief, and evanescent cease-fires, one company is steadily feeding investors nutritious dividends, cash flows, and earnings per share growth.
From Barron's ● Dec. 11, 2025
The evanescent “Sky Painting” did predate by a year Robert Morris’ influential atmospheric sculpture made of billowing “Steam,” and it predated by two years Judy Chicago’s first outing with ephemeral colored smoke.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2023
They remain the gold standard, the blue-chip stocks, the flowering perennials amid each spring’s evanescent annuals.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 27, 2023
They are not just tiny and swift but also often tantalizingly evanescent.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
