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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

Ephemeral

Adjective

IPA /ɪˈfɛmərəl/

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Meaning in plain English

Lasting for a very short time; fleeting or momentary.

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Pronunciation

Ephemeral/ɪˈfɛmərəl/

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  1. A soap bubble appears

  2. Soon it is gone

A soap bubble is an example of something ephemeral: very short-lived.

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Examples in context

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  1. The rainbow above the rooftops was ephemeral; it faded within minutes.
  2. Their romance was passionate but ephemeral, like a spark that quickly faded.

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The rainbow above the rooftops was ________; it faded within minutes.
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Ephemeral — Lasting for a very short time; fleeting or momentary.

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Lasting for a very short time; fleeting or momentary.

Compare: The rainbow above the rooftops was ephemeral; it faded within minutes.

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Word origin

From Greek ephemeros meaning "lasting only a day" (epi- = upon + hēmera = day).

Did you know?

Ephemeral usually describes something short-lived. It can have the specific sense of lasting one day, but ordinary uses do not require an exact one-day duration. The word describes duration, not value.

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Ephemeral

/ɪˈfɛmərəl/ (Adjective)

“Use ephemeral for a short-lived effect, trend or experience. Something ephemeral can still be important.”

englishskillstudio.com