Ephemeral
adjective /ɪˈfemərəl/ — Things that last only a short time.
Definition
Lasting for a very short time; fleeting by nature.
Beyond the definition
Used to describe beauty, moments, or feelings that are precious because they won't stay. The ephemeral quality of cherry blossoms is exactly why they're celebrated.
Origin & history
Ultimately from Greek ephemeros, meaning 'lasting a day,' through Latin ephemera. English ephemeral is recorded in the 1560s for things lasting one day; the broader sense 'short-lived' developed in the 1630s.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The ephemeral beauty of the autumn leaves made her linger longer than planned.
Social media fame is largely ephemeral — here today, forgotten tomorrow.
He appreciated their conversation for its ephemeral, unrepeatable quality.
How to use it
Use ephemeral before a noun, or after a linking verb, to emphasize a short duration. Beauty or preciousness may come from the context; they are not required by the word.
Illustrative example: “The excitement was ephemeral, fading as soon as the announcement ended.”
Synonyms
fleeting, transient, momentary, evanescent, short-lived
Antonyms
eternal, permanent, enduring
Related words
- evanescent
- transient
- impermanent
- wabi-sabi
Ephemeral vs transient
Ephemeral and transient both mean short-lived or temporary. Ephemeral emphasizes brief duration, as in ephemeral fame or an ephemeral bloom; it does not necessarily mean beautiful or precious. Transient can also describe people staying somewhere temporarily. A poetic context may give ephemeral emotional weight, but that is an effect of the writing, not a fixed difference in meaning.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
A photographer once spent three years trying to capture cherry blossoms at their exact peak. Not budding. Not falling. The precise two-hour window when they were perfectly open.
She described it as chasing something that didn't want to be caught — and that was exactly the point. "If they lasted," she said, "I wouldn't drive four hundred miles to see them."
They drive four hundred miles. They stand in the cold. They do not look away for a single moment. The transience is not despite the beauty. It is the beauty.
Questions about this word
What does "Ephemeral" mean?
Ephemeral is adjective meaning: Things that last only a short time.. Lasting for a very short time; fleeting by nature.
Which words express “beautiful but fading”?
Ephemeral — Things that last only a short time.
Where does the word "Ephemeral" come from?
Ultimately from Greek ephemeros, meaning 'lasting a day,' through Latin ephemera. English ephemeral is recorded in the 1560s for things lasting one day; the broader sense 'short-lived' developed in the 1630s.