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
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 that 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 as either ether or quintessence. Ether was often described as an invisible light or fire, and its name derives from the Greek aithein, a verb meaning "to ignite" or "to blaze." When ethereal, the adjectival kin of ether, debuted in English in the 1500s, it referred to regions beyond the Earth or anything that seemed to originate from there.
Synonyms
- bodiless
- formless
- immaterial
- incorporeal
- insubstantial
- nonmaterial
- nonphysical
- spiritual
- unbodied
- unsubstantial
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The windows give the church an ethereal glow. that ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma
Recent Examples on the Web Using a series of finely detailed vignettes, O’Connor renders an ethereal portrait of the young writer. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2022 The floor-length piece was sleeveless, and featured an ethereal, abstract print in vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, grays, and blues. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Sep. 2022 At the 2011 Met Gala, Williams arrived in an ethereal floor-length feathered Oscar de la Renta gown and fascinator. Leah Dolan, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 More than 1,000 handkerchiefs and 500 meters of fabric were cut into ruffles to make an ethereal version of Ralph Lauren’s classic turtleneck column dress. Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 Light up their life with this neon LED tube, which gives any space an ethereal glow. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 15 Aug. 2022 Because the region is experiencing extreme heat, the team plans to wait until nightfall before moving the ethereal white creature. Thomas Adamson, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022 Because despite the fact that the past few years' themes — time and camp, namely — delivered some fantastic beauty looks, little can compare to the level of ethereal beauty seen on the red carpet in New York City on May 2. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 2 May 2022 Even in retirement, years after his final broadcast in 2016, his presence remained both ubiquitous and ethereal, like the ocean and the air. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2022 The floor-length piece was sleeveless, and featured an ethereal, abstract print in vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, grays, and blues. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Sep. 2022 At the 2011 Met Gala, Williams arrived in an ethereal floor-length feathered Oscar de la Renta gown and fascinator. Leah Dolan, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 More than 1,000 handkerchiefs and 500 meters of fabric were cut into ruffles to make an ethereal version of Ralph Lauren’s classic turtleneck column dress. Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 Light up their life with this neon LED tube, which gives any space an ethereal glow. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 15 Aug. 2022 Because the region is experiencing extreme heat, the team plans to wait until nightfall before moving the ethereal white creature. Thomas Adamson, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022 Because despite the fact that the past few years' themes — time and camp, namely — delivered some fantastic beauty looks, little can compare to the level of ethereal beauty seen on the red carpet in New York City on May 2. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 2 May 2022 Even in retirement, years after his final broadcast in 2016, his presence remained both ubiquitous and ethereal, like the ocean and the air. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
ethereal
adjective
ethe·re·al i-ˈthir-ē-əl
1
: suggesting heaven or the heavens
ethereal music
2
: very delicate : airy
Medical Definition
ethereal
adjective
ethe·re·al i-ˈthir-ē-əl
: relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether
ethereal
adjective
1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter that ethereal attribute that every performer should have—charisma Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- spiritual
- incorporeal
- metaphysical
- supernatural
- bodiless
- invisible
- psychic
- nonphysical
- immaterial
- formless
- insubstantial
- unbodied
- nonmaterial
- thin
- unsubstantial
- psychical
- intangible
- vaporous
- diaphanous
- impalpable
- gaseous
- tenuous
- airy
- insensible
- gossamery
- wispish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- physical
- corporeal
- substantial
- material
- tangible
- carnal
- animal
- visible
- bodily
- solid
- discernible
- sensible
- observable
- palpable
- heavy
- detectable
- noticeable
- fleshly
- massive
- bulky
- discernable
2
as in fluffy
resembling air in lightness the bakery's scrumptious pastries have a wonderfully ethereal consistency Synonyms & Similar Words
- fluffy
- gossamer
- light
- airy
- delicate
- diaphanous
- wispy
- gauzy
- vaporous
- feathery
- weightless
- insubstantial
- dainty
- downy
- rarefied
- unsubstantial
- buoyant
- tender
- cobwebby
- lightweight
- gossamery
- flimsy
- pillowy
- cumulous
- lighter-than-air
- gauzelike
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heavy
- solid
- leaden
- substantial
- ponderous
- weighty
- firm
- burdensome
- bulky
- cumbersome
- unwieldy
- lumpish
- hefty
- hulking
3
as in celestial
of, relating to, or suggesting heaven described as a land of ethereal beauty and tranquility Synonyms & Similar Words
- celestial
- heavenly
- angelic
- blissful
- empyrean
- empyreal
- angelical
- transcendental
- supernal
- elysian
- supernatural
- transcendent
- unworldly
- unearthly
- cosmic
- beatific
- utopian
- galactic
- paradisiacal
- stellar
- cosmical
- paradisiac
- Olympian
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- earthly
- infernal
- chthonian
- hellish
- chthonic
- worldly
- mundane
- terrestrial
- sulfurous
- plutonian
- dystopian
- Tartarean
- anti-utopian
- burning in
- burning index
- burning mountain
- burning nettle
- burning off
- burning oil
- burning one's ears
- burning out
- burning point
- burning through
- burning time
- burning torch
- burning up
- burning-wood
- burningly
- burnings
- burnish
- burnished
- burnished gold
- burnished straw
- burnisher
- burnishers
- burnishes
- burnishing
- burnishing die