ephemeral

lasting a short time; transitory; short-lived: It was an ephemeral but delightful visit.

Not to be confused with:

ethereal – intangible; delicate; heavenly; spiritual: It was an ethereal visitation by someone from another world.

e·phem·er·al

(ĭ-fĕm′ər-əl)

adj.

1. Lasting for a markedly brief time: "There remain some truths too ephemeral to be captured in the cold pages of a court transcript" (Irving R. Kaufman).

2. Having a short lifespan or a short annual period of aboveground growth. Used especially of plants.

Something, especially a plant, that is ephemeral.

[From Greek ephēmeros : ep-, epi-, epi- + hēmerā, day.]

e·phem′er·al′i·ty, e·phem′er·al·ness n.

e·phem′er·al·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ephemeral

(ɪˈfɛmərəl)

adj

lasting for only a short time; transitory; short-lived: ephemeral pleasure.

1. (Biology) a short-lived organism, such as the mayfly

2. (Botany) a plant that completes its life cycle in less than one year, usually less than six months

[C16: from Greek ephēmeros lasting only a day, from hēmera day]

eˈphemerally adv

eˌphemerˈality, eˈphemeralness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

e•phem•er•al

(ɪˈfɛm ər əl)

adj.

1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory.

2. lasting but one day: an ephemeral flower.

3. anything short-lived, as certain insects.

[1570–80; < Greek ephḗmer(os) short-lived, lasting but a day]

e•phem′er•al•ly, adv.

e•phem`er•al′i•ty, e•phem′er•al•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	ephemeral - anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form ephemeron insect - small air-breathing arthropod
Adj.	1.	ephemeral - lasting a very short time; "the ephemeral joys of childhood"; "a passing fancy"; "youth's transient beauty"; "love is transitory but it is eternal"; "fugacious blossoms" fugacious, passing, short-lived, transitory, transient impermanent, temporary - not permanent; not lasting; "politics is an impermanent factor of life"- James Thurber; "impermanent palm cottages"; "a temperary arrangement"; "temporary housing"

ephemeral

adjective transient, short, passing, brief, temporary, fleeting, short-lived, fugitive, flitting, momentary, transitory, evanescent, impermanent, fugacious These paintings are a reminder that earthly pleasures are ephemeral.
lasting, enduring, persisting, eternal, abiding, durable, long-lasting, immortal, steadfast

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

ephemeral

adjective

Lasting or existing only for a short time:

evanescent, fleet, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, momentary, passing, short-lived, temporal, temporary, transient, transitory.

Translations

flüchtig kurzlebig vergänglich

efímero efímera

hetkellinenlyhytaikainenohimenevä

éphémère

efemerankratkotrajanprivremen

effimero fuggevole momentaneo passeggero precario

efemeryczny

ephemeral

[ɪˈfemərəl] ADJ → efímero

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ephemeral

[ɪˈfɛmərəl] adj → éphémère

ephemeral

adj → ephemer (geh, Zool), → kurzlebig; happiness also → flüchtig

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

ephemeral

[ɪˈfɛmər/əl] adj → effimero/a

ephemeral

a. efímero-a, pasajero-a.