Vocabulary in context
SAT Vocabulary Workbook
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Ethereal
Extremely delicate, light, or heavenly; intangible and otherworldly in nature.
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Imagine This
Calvin, a famous priest, saw a celestial figure in the sky and concluded that it was either an angel or a vision of God.
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Sounds Like
ih-THER-ee-uhl (sounds like 'ether real')
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Looks Like
Looks like 'ether' or evokes the upper air; visually suggests lightness and delicacy.
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Remember This
Ethereal describes a quality that seems too perfect or lovely to be real—delicate, airy, and otherworldly. It is not the same as 'eternal' or 'infernal'.
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Other Forms
etherealnessnoun
ethereallyadverb
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Connect With
otherworldly, airy, delicate, celestial, sublime
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Note
Use ethereal for impressions of beauty, sound, atmosphere, or beings that feel spiritual or insubstantial. Do not apply to anything plainly tangible.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The sunrise cast an ethereal glow over the quiet valley.
- Her voice was so ethereal that it seemed to float above the orchestra.
Synonyms
otherworldlyheavenlyairydelicatespiritual
Antonyms
tangibleearthlymaterial
Etymology
From Latin etherealis, from Greek aitherios 'of the upper air,' from aether 'upper sky' or 'clear sky'.
Mnemonic
Ether + real: think of something from the upper air that feels almost real but is in a higher, lighter realm.
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Plausible
adjectiveSeeming right or reasonable; appearing to be true or probable.
Indigence
nounExtreme poverty or destitution; the state of lacking the basic resources needed for living.
Empathy
nounThe ability to understand and share the feelings of another person; the capacity to place oneself in someone else's emotional experience.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
Adept
adjectiveHaving or showing a high level of skill or proficiency; very capable.
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