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Ethereal - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Ethereal : adj
1: characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as
impalpable or intangible as air; "figures light and
aeriform come unlooked for and melt away"- Thomas
Carlyle; "aerial fancies"; "an airy apparition";
"physical rather than ethereal forms" [syn: aeriform,
aerial, airy, aery]
2: of or containing or dissolved in ether; "ethereal solution"
3: of heaven or the spirit; "celestial peace"; "ethereal
melodies"; "the supernal happiness of a quiet death" [syn:
celestial, supernal]
4: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy; "this
smallest and most ethereal of birds"; "gossamer shading
through his playing" [syn: gossamer]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Ethereal : \E*the"re*al\, a.
1. Pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the
higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere;
celestial; as, ethereal space; ethereal regions.
Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger. --Milton.
2. Consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy;
tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy, as
form, manner, thought, etc.
Vast chain of being, which from God began, Natures
ethereal, human, angel, man. --Pope.
3. (Chem.) Pertaining to, derived from, or resembling, ether;
as, ethereal salts.
Ethereal oil. (Chem.) See Essential oil, under
Essential.
Ethereal oil of wine (Chem.), a heavy, yellow, oily liquid
consisting essentially of etherin, etherol, and ethyl
sulphate. It is the oily residuum left after
etherification. Called also heavy oil of wine
(distinguished from oil of wine, or [oe]nanthic ether).
Ethereal salt (Chem.), a salt of some organic radical as a
base; an ester.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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