ephemeral
1 of 2adjective
ephemeral
2 of 2noun
Did you know?
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."
Synonyms
Adjective
- brief
- deciduous
- evanescent
- flash
- fleeting
- fugacious
- fugitive
- impermanent
- momentary
- passing
- short-lived
- temporary
- transient
- transitory
Example Sentences
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 Eric Branch, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Aug. 2022 But casual talk, even when performed by a virtuoso, is ultimately ephemeral. Justin Driver, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2022 Suddenly, and all at once, fashion creators on the app were torching their heat reactive gear with hairdryers, capturing the ephemeral tie dye effects for viewers. André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 26 July 2022 Those ephemeral stock options for the employees can now be used to light the barbecue. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2022 But many of those who are harnessing the power of TikTok are finding that success on the platform can be particularly ephemeral—and riding the viral wave can be challenging. Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appétit, 25 July 2022 Consider the strawberry: red, ripe, an ephemeral pleasure as fleeting as a summer fling. Sheila Yasmin Marikar, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 That Snapchat, born of ephemeral sexting, would become another one of the world’s largest communication platforms. Ryan Faughnderstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2022 It’s that ephemeral thing on which nations collectively spend trillions: the idea that the best propaganda isn’t propaganda, as Joseph Nye says. Grant Tremblay, Scientific American, 11 July 2022 Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2022 There isn’t a growing season for native plants, although ephemerals bloom and die in a few days and others flower even when there’s snow on the ground. Hattie Bernstein, BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2018 Early-blooming wildflowers called spring ephemerals – such as spring beauty, yellow trout lily, marsh marigold, and more – pop up in fields and woods across Northeast Ohio during early spring. cleveland.com, 8 May 2017 Spring ephemerals bloom before tree leaves block the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. cleveland.com, 8 May 2017 Like all spring ephemerals, the clock is always ticking for the wood anemone. Dave Taft, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2017 The timing of this fleeting wildflower, as with other spring ephemerals, is critical to the balance of the ecosystem. National Geographic, 24 Apr. 2016 See More Word History
Adjective and Noun
Greek ephēmeros lasting a day, daily, from epi- + hēmera day
Adjective
1576, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun
1807, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
ephemeral
adjective
-ˈfēm- ephemeral
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- temporary
- flash
- transient
- brief
- fleeting
- transitory
- evanescent
- passing
- momentary
- impermanent
- deciduous
- fugacious
- short-lived
- short
- little
- fugitive
- acting
- short-term
- provisional
- interim
- shortish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- permanent
- eternal
- lasting
- enduring
- timeless
- everlasting
- immortal
- unending
- endless
- deathless
- perpetual
- undying
- persistent
- ceaseless
- lifelong
- long-lived
- durable
- indestructible
- dateless
- imperishable
- continuing
- indefectible
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ephemeral are evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.
The words evanescent and ephemeral are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.
Both fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.
The words momentary and ephemeral can be used in similar contexts, but momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state.
The synonyms transient and ephemeral are sometimes interchangeable, but transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.
In some situations, the words transitory and ephemeral are roughly equivalent. However, transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end.