ethereal

Also ae·the·re·al

[ih-theer-ee-uhl]

adjective

1. light, airy, or tenuous.

   an ethereal world created through the poetic imagination.

2. extremely delicate or refined.

   ethereal beauty.

3. heavenly or celestial.

   gone to his ethereal home.

4. of or relating to the upper regions of space.

5. Chemistry.,  pertaining to, containing, or resembling ether.

ethereal

/ ɪˈθɪərɪəl /

adjective

1. extremely delicate or refined; exquisite

2. almost as light as air; impalpable; airy

3. celestial or spiritual

4. of, containing, or dissolved in an ether, esp diethyl ether

   an ethereal solution

5. of or relating to the ether

Other Word Forms

• ethereality noun
• etherealness noun
• ethereally adverb
• ethereous adjective
• nonethereal adjective
• nonethereally adverb
• nonetherealness noun
• nonethereality noun
• unethereal adjective
• unethereally adverb
• unetherealness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethereal¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin aethere(us) (from Greek aithérios ), equivalent to aether- ether + -eus adjective suffix + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethereal¹

C16: from Latin aethereus, from Greek aitherios, from aithēr _ether

Example Sentences

Lying motionless on a stage draped in white fabrics, she let the album's ethereal soundscapes wash over a silent audience.

Read more on Barron's

And yet, Smith’s persona remains veiled — sphinx-like — an ethereal presence whose journey to fame was fueled by her questing spirit and later detoured by tragedy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Luxurious finishes and fixtures can be found in every room of the home, including “exquisite crystal chandeliers” that were custom-designed to cast an “ethereal glow” throughout the dwelling.

Read more on MarketWatch

Her lovely, ethereal vocalizing briefly infuses the show with the heart and soulful spirit that is conspicuously absent from Mr. Coen’s writing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The deal includes an ethereal valuation: Intercontinental Exchange said its stake values Polymarket at $8 billion, though the company reports no revenue.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• airy 
• celestial 
• exquisite 
• ghostly 
• intangible 
• sublime