Vocabulary
Ethereal meaning: delicate, light, and almost unreal
A voice, a piece of music, or pale morning light can seem so light and delicate that it feels separate from ordinary life. Ethereal is a word for that impression.
Use ethereal for something that seems delicate, light, or almost unreal, especially in descriptions of music, light, beauty, or movement.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
ethereal /iˈθɪə.ri.əl/
The short answer
Ethereal means delicate and light in a way that seems almost unreal or from another world.
The violinist's ethereal music made the room feel quiet and distant.
Why it works: The music has a light, unusual quality that changes the listener's sense of the room.
2 more examples
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A thin layer of fog gave the garden an ethereal look.
The fog makes the garden seem light, delicate, and less ordinary.
Not this:A thin layer of fog gave the garden
a gray look. What changes: Gray names a color effect. Ethereal describes the unusual impression created by the fog. -
Her ethereal dress seemed to float as she crossed the stage.
The dress appears light and delicate as it moves.
Not this:Her
elegant dressseemed to float as she crossed the stage. What changes: Elegant means graceful and stylish. Ethereal adds a light, almost unreal quality.
Read the full guide
Use ethereal when you want to describe an impression, not a physical fact. A light can be pale or soft, but ethereal says that its quality makes it seem delicate and slightly unreal.
Start with a light, unreal quality
Ethereal describes the impression something gives. It suggests that a sight, sound, or movement is delicate enough to seem separate from the solid, ordinary world.
The singer had an ethereal voice.
Use it for things people see or hear
Ethereal often appears with voice, music, light, beauty, glow, movement, and image. These nouns help a reader picture or hear the delicate quality that the word describes.
Pale clouds gave the sky an ethereal glow.
The dancer's ethereal movements seemed almost weightless.
Compare ethereal and beautiful
Beautiful is a broad word for something that gives pleasure when you see or experience it. Ethereal is narrower. It adds the idea that the beauty is light, delicate, or hard to place in ordinary life.
A beautiful painting may have any subject or style. An ethereal painting may seem soft, light, and slightly unreal.
Choose a descriptive tone
Ethereal has a literary or artistic tone. It works well in a review, a story, or a careful description. In a plain practical message, words such as light, soft, or delicate may be clearer.
The film used ethereal light in its dream scenes.
Hear the th and the stress
Ethereal has four syllables: ee-THEER-ee-uhl. Make THEER the strongest part. The th is unvoiced, as in think, rather than voiced as in this.
Her ethereal singing filled the dark hall.
Before you go
Remember this
Use ethereal for a delicate quality that seems light and almost unreal. It often describes music, a voice, light, movement, beauty, or a scene in descriptive writing.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Ethereal meaning: delicate, light, and almost unreal"
What does ethereal mean?
Ethereal means delicate, light, or almost unreal. It often describes an impression made by music, light, a voice, movement, beauty, or an image.
The violinist's ethereal music made the room feel quiet and distant.
Is ethereal a positive word?
Usually, yes. Ethereal often expresses admiration for a delicate or unusual quality, although it can also create a quiet, mysterious, or sad mood.
The violinist's gentle music made the room feel quiet and distant.
What can be ethereal?
A voice, song, glow, dress, movement, beauty, scene, or image can be ethereal when it seems light, delicate, and slightly removed from ordinary life.
A thin layer of fog gave the garden an ethereal look.
What is the difference between ethereal and beautiful?
Beautiful is a general word for something pleasing to see or experience. Ethereal is more specific and suggests a delicate, light, or almost unreal quality.
A thin layer of fog gave the garden a gray look.
How do you pronounce ethereal?
In British English, ethereal is pronounced ee-THEER-ee-uhl. The stress falls on THEER, and the th is the sound in think.
Her ethereal dress seemed to float as she crossed the stage.
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