adj · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ɪˈθɪə.ɹɪ.əl/
General-American:/ɪˈθɪɚ.i.əl/
General-American:/iˈθɪɚ.i.əl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/iˈθɪə̯.ri.əl/
Australian:/əˈθɪə̯.ri.əl/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IH0 TH IH1 R IY0 AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pertaining to the presupposition of an invisible air-like element permeating all of space, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Near-synonyms: aereous, celestial
ethereal space
ethereal regions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: aetheric, etheric, aereous, celestial
Antonyms: earthly
2
adj
Meaning 2
Pertaining to the immaterial realm, as symbolically represented by, or (in earlier epochs) conflated with, such atmospheric and extra-atmospheric concepts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Near-synonyms: celestial, incorporeal, insubstantial, intangible, spiritual, uncorporeal, mystical, otherworldly, transcendental; see also Thesaurus:cosmic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
of or containing or dissolved in ether
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
ethereal solution
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air- Thomas Carlyle
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
figures light and aeriform come unlooked for and melt away
aerial fancies
an airy apparition
physical rather than ethereal forms
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: aeriform, aerial, airy, aery
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
this smallest and most ethereal of birds
gossamer shading through his playing
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: gossamer
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective satellite
Meaning 8
of heaven or the spirit
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
celestial peace
ethereal melodies
the supernal happiness of a quiet death
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: celestial, supernal
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Latin aetherius (“of or pertaining to the ether, the sky, Heaven or the air or upper air”), from Ancient Greek αἰθέριος (aithérios, “of or pertaining to the upper air”). By surface analysis, ether + -ial.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
ефирен
(efiren)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Catalan:
eteri
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Chinese Mandarin:
空靈 /空灵
(kōnglíng)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Czech:
éterický
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Czech:
nadpozemský
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Dutch:
etherisch
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Dutch:
hemels
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Esperanto:
etera
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Finnish:
taivaallinen
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
French:
éthéré
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
German:
ätherisch
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Greek:
αιθέριος
(aithérios)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Greek:
αέρινος
(aérinos)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Ancient Greek:
αἰθέριος
(aithérios)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Hebrew:
שְׁמֵימִי
(shmeimi)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Irish:
aerga
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Italian:
etereo
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Latin:
aetherius
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Norwegian Bokmål:
eterisk
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Polish:
eteryczny
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Polish:
nieziemski
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Polish:
niebiański
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Portuguese:
etéreo
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Romanian:
eteric
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Russian:
эфи́рный
(efírnyj)
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Serbo-Croatian:
nadzemaljski
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Spanish:
etéreo
— pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere
Czech:
éterický
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Dutch:
etherisch
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Finnish:
eteerinen
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Finnish:
haihtuva
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
French:
éthéré
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Galician:
etéreo
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
German:
himmlisch
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
German:
ätherisch
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Hindi:
स्वर्गिक
(svargik)
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Hindi:
पारलौकिक
(pārlaukik)
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Hindi:
आकाशीय
(ākāśīya)
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Italian:
etereo
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Latin:
aetherius
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Norwegian Bokmål:
himmelsk
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Norwegian Bokmål:
eterisk
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Polish:
eteryczny
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Polish:
lekki
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Polish:
zwiewny
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Portuguese:
etéreo
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Romanian:
eteric
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Spanish:
etéreo
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
Swedish:
eterisk
— consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy
