Reading Theme:

Language:

Font Size:

📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Ethereal: Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：delicately beautiful (ethereal)

ethereal 🔊

/ɪˈθɪəriəl/

adj.

so light, delicate, and beautiful that it seems like it's from another world, not ordinary.

Ethereal meaning illustrated by a graceful ballet dancer in a misty, sunlit forest.

delicately beautiful 🔊

➕

/ˈdɛlɪkətli ˈbjuːtɪfəl/

adj.

Describes something extremely light, delicate, and beautiful, giving an impression of being from another world.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Advanced

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'aetherius', Greek 'aithērios', meaning 'heavenly' or 'of the upper air'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'ether' – light, airy, and heavenly, like something from another world.

📖 Example

The ballerina's movements were so ethereal that she seemed to float above the stage like a feather. 🔊 The dancer's graceful motions were so light and delicate that she appeared to be floating on stage.

🔗 Collocations

ethereal beauty – a beauty that is delicate and otherworldly

ethereal voice – a voice that is light, soft, and almost heavenly

ethereal quality – a characteristic of being delicate and seemingly not of this world

🔄 Synonyms

delicate (adj.) – lightly and finely made, but may not imply otherworldliness

airy (adj.) – light and insubstantial, often suggesting openness or grace

heavenly (adj.) – of or like heaven; beautifully serene, but can be more spiritual

🚫 Antonyms

heavy (adj.) – having great weight, opposite of light and delicate

coarse (adj.) – rough or harsh in texture, not delicate

earthly (adj.) – relating to the earth or material world, not celestial

🌱 Derivatives

ethereally (adv.) – in an ethereal manner; with lightness and delicacy

etherealness (n.) – the quality of being ethereal; delicacy and otherworldliness

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from Greek mythology, where 'aithēr' was the pure upper air breathed by the gods, evolving to describe celestial or delicately beautiful qualities.

Meaning 2：heavenly or spiritual (ethereal)

ethereal 🔊

/ɪˈθɪəriəl/

adj.

relating to heaven or the spiritual world, not physical or material.

Ethereal spiritual concept shown with light through a stained glass window in a cathedral.

heavenly or spiritual 🔊

➕

/ˈhɛvənli ɔr ˈspɪrɪtʃuəl/

adj.

Pertaining to heaven, the spiritual world, or things that are not physical or material.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Advanced

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The ancient temple had an ethereal atmosphere of peace that made visitors feel connected to something greater. 🔊 The old temple's peaceful ambiance felt heavenly and spiritual, linking visitors to a higher power.

🔗 Collocations

ethereal atmosphere – an ambiance that feels spiritual or otherworldly

ethereal presence – a spiritual or divine feeling of being present

ethereal realm – the spiritual or heavenly domain, not the physical world

🔄 Synonyms

heavenly (adj.) – of or relating to heaven; divinely beautiful or serene

celestial (adj.) – pertaining to the sky or heaven; often used in astronomical or spiritual contexts

spiritual (adj.) – relating to the spirit or soul, not physical; can be religious or metaphysical

🚫 Antonyms

earthly (adj.) – relating to the earth or material world, not spiritual

material (adj.) – consisting of physical substance; tangible, not spiritual

physical (adj.) – of or relating to the body or matter, as opposed to the spirit

🌱 Derivatives

ethereally (adv.) – in an ethereal manner; with a spiritual or heavenly quality

etherealness (n.) – the quality of being ethereal; spirituality or otherworldliness