ether

noun

\ ˈē-thər

Definition of ether

1a : the rarefied element formerly believed to fill the upper regions of space

b : the upper regions of space : heavens

2a : a light volatile flammable liquid C₄H₁₀O used chiefly as a solvent and especially formerly as an anesthetic

b : any of a class of organic compounds characterized by an oxygen atom attached to two carbon atoms

3a or less commonly aether \ˈē-thər \ : a medium that in the wave theory of light permeates all space and transmits transverse waves

b : airwaves

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Examples of ether in a Sentence

The balloon disappeared into the ether.

Recent Examples on the Web

There was no more fitting team to dispatch Mexico from this World Cup than Brazil because Brazil is the country better than any that helps contextualize El Tri’s standing in the international soccer ether. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "Mexico’s World Cup Ends in Round of 16," 2 July 2018 All those handsome, heroic dads parading through the ether can disturb people whose fathers fell far short of the ideal, or whose fathers are gone. — Mary Schmich, chicagotribune.com, "Is Father's Day outdated?," 15 June 2018 Those issues have been in the ether for decades, and not one has turned into a Silicon Valley movement. — Arielle Pardes, WIRED, "Google and the Rise of "Digital Wellbeing"," 9 May 2018 Lazy or not, the soufflé was as light as ether just the same. — Samin Nosrat, New York Times, "No Time for a Breakfast Soufflé? Try a ‘Soufflazy’," 22 Feb. 2018 Coinbase currently offers trading in bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ether and litecoin. — Fortune, "Bitcoin Rises as Ripple's Allure Fades Among Cryptocurrency Traders," 5 Jan. 2018 Each is a replica of the last, a humming absence spinning into the ether. — Sadia Hassan, Longreads, "Silence is a Lonely Country: A Prayer in Twelve Parts," 13 July 2018 The incident is the latest in a long string of thefts at the online portals where investors trade cash for digital coins such as bitcoin and ether. — Brian Fung, latimes.com, "Why bitcoin exchanges keep getting hacked — and how to protect yourself," 21 June 2018 Owners of bitcoin and ether, however, now appear safe from that sort of close scrutiny. — Louise Matsakis, WIRED, "Rest Easy, Cryptocurrency Fans: Ether and Bitcoin Aren't Securities," 14 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ether.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Aug 2018

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Time Traveler for ether

The first known use of ether was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for ether

ether

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ether

: a liquid that burns easily, that is used to turn solid substances into liquid, and that was used in medicine in the past to prevent patients from feeling pain during operations

the ether : the air : the sky

See the full definition for ether in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ether

noun

\ ˈē-thər