ether

noun

Save Word

\ 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

Other Words from ether Example Sentences Learn More about ether

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of ether in a Sentence

The balloon disappeared into the ether.

Recent Examples on the Web This is causing money to disappear into the ether or be claimed by third parties. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "Revealed: Billboard's 2019 Women In Music Top Executives," 12 Dec. 2019 This episode simply vanished into the ether like a hundred other Trump scandals. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Why Congress Wouldn’t Impeach Trump for Shooting James Comey," 4 June 2018 The outcome could be critical for bitcoin, ether and scores of other cryptocurrencies that the market values in the hundreds of billions of dollars. — Joe Lightbloomberg, Los Angeles Times, "Cryptocurrency lobby fights to contain backlash from Facebook’s Libra," 28 Aug. 2019 Hawkfelon Stringle-Blow spends most of the first episode in a coma before vanishing into the ether. — Peter Opaskar, Ars Technica, "Forget Top Gun: Maverick—let’s settle Blue Thunder vs. Airwolf once and for all," 10 Jan. 2020 But there’s a melancholic layer to it, too, with vocals echoing like a beloved memory fading into the ether. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "The 50 Best Dance Songs of 2019: Staff List," 20 Dec. 2019 The tweets go out into the ether and dissipate like fog. — Letter Writers, Twin Cities, "Letters: New recycling mantra might discourage recycling," 14 Dec. 2019 Reuters additionally reported that Griffith may have planned to send mining equipment to North Korea, ostensibly so the government or others could generate their own ether. — Matthew De Silva, Quartz, "Bitcoin money laundering is a classically dumb crime," 5 Dec. 2019 Perhaps more voices — in welcome, glorious tension — will form a whole chorus, rising up into the ether toward a worthier aim. — Madeleine Kearns, National Review, "Douglas Murray’s The Madness of Crowds Offers Sanity and Hope," 24 Oct. 2019

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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about ether

Dictionary Entries near ether

Statistics for ether

Last Updated

25 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Ether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ether. Accessed 25 Feb. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

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 air : the sky

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

ether

noun

\ ˈē-thər