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definitions

ethereal

[ ih-theer-ee-uh l ]
/ ɪˈθɪər i əl /
|

adjective

light, airy, or tenuous: an ethereal world created through the poetic imagination.
extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
heavenly or celestial: gone to his ethereal home.
of or relating to the upper regions of space.
Chemistry. pertaining to, containing, or resembling ethyl ether.

Nearby words

  1. ethelwulf,
  2. ethene,
  3. ethenyl,
  4. ethephon,
  5. ether,
  6. ethereal oil,
  7. etherealize,
  8. etherege,
  9. etherege, sir george,
  10. etheric
Also ae·the·re·al (for defs 1–4).

Origin of ethereal

1505–15; < Latin aethere(us) (< Greek aithérios), equivalent to aether- ether + -eus adj. suffix + -al1
Related forms

aether

[ ee-ther ]
/ ˈi θər /

noun

ether(defs 3–5).
(initial capital letter) the ancient Greek personification of the clear upper air of the sky.
Related formsae·the·re·al [ih-theer-ee-uh l] /ɪˈθɪər i əl/, ae·ther·ic [ih-ther-ik] /ɪˈθɛr ɪk/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for aethereal

British Dictionary definitions for aethereal

aethereal

/ (ɪˈθɪərɪəl) /

adjective

a variant spelling of ethereal (def. 1), ethereal (def. 2), ethereal (def. 3)
Derived Formsaethereality (ɪˌθɪərɪˈælɪtɪ), nounaethereally, adverb

aether

/ (ˈiːθə) /

noun

a variant spelling of ether (def. 3), ether (def. 4), ether (def. 5)

ethereal

/ (ɪˈθɪərɪəl) /

adjective

extremely delicate or refined; exquisite
almost as light as air; impalpable; airy
celestial or spiritual
of, containing, or dissolved in an ether, esp diethyl etheran ethereal solution
of or relating to the ether
Derived Formsethereality or etherealness, nounethereally, adverb

Word Origin for ethereal

C16: from Latin aethereus, from Greek aitherios, from aithēr ether
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for aethereal

ethereal

adj.

1510s, "of the highest regions of the atmosphere," from ether + -al (1); extended sense of "light, airy" is from 1590s. Meaning "spiritlike, immaterial" is from 1640s. Related: Ethereally.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for aethereal

ethereal

[ ĭ-thîr′ē-əl ]

adj.

Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; intangible.
Of, relating to, or containing ether.
Related formse•the′re•al′i•ty (-ăl′ĭ-tē) null n.e•the′re•al•ly adv.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.