ethereal

English

WOTD – 9 March 2007

From Latin aetherius (“of or pertaining to the ether, the sky, or the air or upper air; ethereal”), from Ancient Greek αἰθέριος (aithérios, “of or pertaining to the upper air; ethereal”).

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ethereal (comparative more ethereal, superlative most ethereal)

Pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere; celestial; otherworldly.
ethereal space ethereal regions
- 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, lines 1282–1284:
  Since to part, / Go heavenly Gueſt, Ethereal Meſſenger, / Sent from whoſe ſovran goodneſs I adore.
- 1862: Thoreau, Walking.
  I trust that we shall be more imaginative, that our thoughts will be clearer, fresher, and more ethereal, as our sky,...
Consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy, as form, manner, thought, etc.
- 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle I, London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 14, lines 237–239:
  Vaſt chain of being ! which from God began, / Ethereal Eſſence, Spirit, Subſtance, Man, / Beaſt, Bird, Fiſh, Inſect ! [...]
Delicate, light and airy.
(chemistry) To do with ether.

(pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air): aereous, mystical, transcendental; See also Thesaurus:cosmic
(consisting of ether): ethereous; See also Thesaurus:gaseous, Thesaurus:insubstantial, or Thesaurus:subtle
(delicate, light and airy): gossamer; See also Thesaurus:fragile
(to do with ether): ethereous, etheric, etherical

Pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere

Consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy

Delicate, light and airy