Meaning

3 senses

  1. Lasting for a short period of time.

    flüchtig, kurzlebig, vergänglich

    эфеме́рныйefemérnyj, преходящийprexodjaščij, мимолётныйmimoljótnyj

    ефемернийefemernyj, швидкоплиннийšvydkoplynnyj

    lasting a very short time

  2. Existing for only one day, as with some flowers, insects, and diseases.

    Eintags-

    однодневныйodnodnevnyj

    одноденнийodnodennyj

  3. Usually dry, but filling with water for brief periods during and after precipitation.

Examples

6 sentences

  1. What is eternal in nature when everything is so ephemeral?

    neron · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. All dreams are ephemeral.

    Всі мрії швидкоплинні. — victorq10

    DJ_Saidez · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Love's pleasure is ephemeral; regret eternal.

    deLiebesfreude ist kurzlebig; Reue währt ewig. — Yorwba

    Dejo · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. "It is a time which gives stern warning to those who worship transient, ephemeral beloveds."

    kiryopi · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. Life is ephemeral.

    ruЖизнь мимолётна. — marafon

    deDas Leben ist flüchtig. — Yorwba

    AlanF_US · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 2
lasting for a short period of time:
existing for only one day:
Русский
By meaning 2
lasting for a short period of time:
existing for only one day:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
lasting for a short period of time:
existing for only one day:

Origin

From New Latin ephemerus, from Ancient Greek ἐφήμερος (ephḗmeros), the more common form of

From New Latin ephemerus, from Ancient Greek ἐφήμερος (ephḗmeros), the more common form of ἐφημέριος (ephēmérios, “of, for, or during the day, living or lasting but for a day, short-lived, temporary”), from ἐπί (epí, “on”) + ἡμέρα (hēméra, “day”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

more ephemeral, most ephemeral
Comparativemore ephemeral Lesson
Superlativemost ephemeral Lesson

regular

Synonyms

24 synonyms
temporaryB1momentaryB2shortA1briefB1instantA2quickA2transientB2transitiveB2worldlyB2transitoryfleetingevanescentshort-livedvolatile
Close in meaning

Antonyms

7 antonyms
permanentB1eternalB1everlastingB2timelessB2lastingB1perennialpersistentB2

Word family

19 related words
RelatedephemeraC2ephemeralityC2momentA1temporarilyB2ephemeronhemeralintermittentunstableunsteadyspeedytransienceephemeralness
Derivedephemeralizationephemeralizeephemeral lakeephemerallyephemeral statenonephemeralunephemeral

Lessons for this word

2 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
envyA2enzymeeonepicepidemic

Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.

ephemeral — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto