ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

1

a

: of or relating to the regions beyond the earth

b

: celestial, heavenly

c

: unworldly, spiritual

2

a

: lacking material substance : immaterial, intangible

b

: marked by unusual delicacy or refinement

this smallest, most ethereal, and daintiest of birds

—William Beebe

c

: suggesting the heavens or heaven

3

: relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether

ethereality

i-ˌthir-ē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

etherealization

i-ˌthir-ē-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

etherealize

i-ˈthir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

transitive verb

ethereally

i-ˈthir-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

etherealness noun

Did you know?

If you're burning to know the history of ethereal, you're in the right spirit to fully understand the word's etymology. The ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was composed of earth, air, fire, and water, but that the heavens and its denizens were made of a purer, less tangible substance known (in English transliteration) as either quintessence or ether. Ether was often described as an invisible light or fire; its name comes from the Greek verb aithein, meaning "to ignite" or "to blaze." When ethereal, the adjectival kin of ether, debuted in English in the 1500s, it described regions beyond the Earth or anything that seemed to originate from them.

Synonyms

• bodiless
• formless
• immaterial
• incorporeal
• insubstantial
• nonmaterial
• nonphysical
• spiritual
• unbodied
• unsubstantial

Examples of ethereal in a Sentence

The windows give the church an ethereal glow.

that ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma

Recent Examples on the Web

Jasmin Reese Interiors For a primary bedroom in Chicago, Jasmin Reese Interiors channeled a dreamy and ethereal hotel-like space, incorporating jewel tones and lush textiles. —Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 28 Apr. 2025

From dreamy ethereal designs for women to risk-taking dynamism for men, both collections celebrate the synergy between creativity, adaptability, and the pursuit of greatness by drawing inspiration from historical trailblazers. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 23 Apr. 2025

The high-fantasy setting is filled with floating rocks and bioluminescent plants — every environment feels ethereal and otherworldly. —George Yang, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025

Her ethereal look masked her interior stoniness and likely facilitated her extraordinary powers of observation and reporting. —Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for ethereal

• arterial
• bacterial
• funereal
• imperial
• material
• sidereal
• venereal
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• cereal
• virial

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Kids Definition

ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

1

: of or relating to the heavens : heavenly

2

: being light and airy : delicate

ethereally

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

etherealness noun

Medical Definition

ethereal

adjective

ethe·​re·​al i-ˈthir-ē-əl 

: relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether