vaporous

adjective

va·​por·​ous ˈvā-p(ə-)rəs 

1

: consisting or characteristic of vapor

2

: producing vapors : volatile

3

: containing or obscured by vapors : misty

4

a

: ethereal, unsubstantial

b

: consisting of or indulging in vaporings

vaporously adverb

vaporousness noun

Examples of vaporous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The golden juice drips down into a tray lined with dry ice, producing vaporous swirls and tendrils. —Patricia Cohen Violette Franchi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2023

Jeff Duka The principal subject of Jeff Duka’s show at Art Sound Language, a record and book boutique, is nothing less than the sky — vast, vaporous and ever-changing. —Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023

The vaporous color in Nancy Evans’ luxurious paintings seems to be coalescing into fragile evocations of nature (Arthur Dove gets an oblique nod). —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023

Conversely, during the sun’s nadir, Neptune’s vaporous veil fades away — although it isn’t known why the current dearth of clouds is so extreme compared with previous cycles. —Robin George Andrews, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2023

The vaporous mist of the morning dew is really the phosphorescence of toxic radiation. —Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023

The two-dimensional picture seen on the entry flat screen now pops into a vaporous three-dimensional illusion. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2023

So vaporous was this suggestion of a suggestion that the Australian diplomats thought little of it at the time. —The Editors, National Review, 16 May 2023

Kim’s images, mostly color but sometimes black-and-white, are less vaporous and more specific. —Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 12 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vaporōsus "full of steam," from vapor "steam, vapor entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

1527, in the meaning defined at sense 1