-ˈfē-
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The Mayfly Helps to Illustrate Ephemeral
In its aquatic immature stages, the mayfly (order Ephemeroptera) has all the time in the world—or not quite: among the approximately 2,500 species of mayflies, some have as much as two years, but a year is more common. But in its adult phase, the typical mayfly hatches, takes wing for the first time, mates, and dies within the span of a few short hours. This briefest of heydays makes the insect a potent symbol of life's ephemeral nature. When ephemeral (from the Greek word ephēmeros, meaning "lasting a day") first appeared in print in English in the late 16th century, it was a scientific term applied to short-term fevers, and later, to organisms (such as insects and flowers) with very short life spans. Soon after that, it acquired an extended sense referring to anything fleeting and short-lived, as in "ephemeral pleasures."
Examples of ephemeral in a Sentence
Joyce Carol Oates, Times Literary Supplement, 5 Jan. 1996
As a consequence North Africa was easily reconquered by the Byzantine emperor in the 530s, and the Vandals' influence on North African development was ephemeral and negligible.
—Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993
This accounts for the peculiar sense most observers have that the ephemeral, sensationalist, polymorphous, magpie popular culture of the United States is at bottom remarkably conservative …
—Louis Menand, Harper's, March 1993
the autumnal blaze of colors is always to be treasured, all the more so because it is so ephemeral
Ronald Brownstein, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
The findings offer a compelling response to Crick’s dilemma, reconciling the discordant timescales to explain how ephemeral molecules maintain memories that last a lifetime.
—Ajdina Halilovic, Wired News, 6 July 2025
Of course, the actual drinking experience is an ephemeral one; at a certain point, the bottle will run dry.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 June 2025
The permanent collection remains a cornerstone of 20th-century art history and continues to resonate alongside the Biennale’s more ephemeral offerings—a timeless reminder that innovation often begins with visionaries who dared to break the grid.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ephemeral
Cite this Entry
“Ephemeral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemeral. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ephemeral
adjective
-ˈfēm-
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