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ethereal: msg#00006culture.language.word-of-the-day
***************************************************************** Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the English language. Subscribe to Merriam-Webster Unabridged today! http://www.merriam-webster.com/premium/ ***************************************************************** The Word of the Day for March 7 is: ethereal \ih-THEER-ee-ul (TH as in "think")\ adjective *1 : celestial, heavenly 2 : exceptionally delicate : airy, dainty Example sentence: That evening, John and Courtney relaxed on the deck of their chartered sloop, gazing up at the starry, ethereal firmament. 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 ancients 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 adjective kin of "ether," debuted in English in the 1500s, it referred specifically to regions beyond the Earth, but it gradually came to refer to anything heavenly, spiritual, or intangible. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. |
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