ephemeral

ephemeral
ephemerally, adv.ephemeralness, n.
/i fem"euhr euhl/, adj.
1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.
2. lasting but one day: an ephemeral flower.
n.
3. anything short-lived, as certain insects.
[1570-80; < Gk ephémer(os) short-lived, lasting but a day (ep- EP- + hemér(a) day + -os adj. suffix) + -AL1]
Syn. 1. fleeting, evanescent, transient, momentary, brief.
Ant. 1. permanent.

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plant
      in botany, any short-lived plant, usually one that has one or more generations per year, growing only during favourable periods (as when adequate moisture is available) and passing the unfavourable periods in the form of seeds. The seed coats of some species contain a growth inhibitor that can be washed off only by a copious quantity of water, thus preventing germination after only a brief shower.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Ephemeral — things (from Greek εφήμερος ephemeros , literally lasting only one day [ [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2345743 Ephemeros] , Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek English Lexicon ,… …   Wikipedia

  • Ephemeral — E*phem er*al, a. 1. Beginning and ending in a day; existing only, or no longer than, a day; diurnal; as, an ephemeral flower. [1913 Webster] 2. Short lived; existing or continuing for a short time only. Ephemeral popularity. V. Knox. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ephemeral — [e fem′ər əl; ifem′ər əl, ēfem′ər əl] adj. [< Gr ephēmeros (see EPHEMERON) + AL] 1. lasting only one day 2. short lived; transitory [ephemeral glory] n. an ephemeral thing; specif., an organism with a brief life cycle SYN. TRANSIENT… …   English World dictionary

  • Ephemeral — E*phem er*al, n. Anything lasting but a day, or a brief time; an ephemeral plant, insect, etc. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ephemeral — I adjective brevis, brief, caducous, caducus, continuing for a short time, deciduous, disappearing, elusive, enduring only a very short time, ephemerous, evanescent, existing for a short time, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, hurried, impermanent,… …   Law dictionary

  • ephemeral — 1560s; see EPHEMERA (Cf. ephemera) + AL (Cf. al) (1). Related: Ephemerality. Originally of diseases and lifespans; extended sense of transitory is from 1630s …   Etymology dictionary

  • ephemeral — transient, transitory, passing, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent, momentary, short lived Analogous words: *brief, short …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • ephemeral — [adj] momentary, passing brief, episodic, evanescent, fleeting, flitting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, short, short lived, temporary, transient, transitory, unenduring, volatile; concepts 798,801 Ant. enduring, eternal, everlasting,… …   New thesaurus

  • ephemeral — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ lasting or living for a very short time. DERIVATIVES ephemerality noun ephemerally adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • ephemeral — I. adjective Etymology: Greek ephēmeros lasting a day, daily, from epi + hēmera day Date: 1576 1. lasting one day only < an ephemeral fever > 2. lasting a very short time < ephemeral pleasures > Synonyms: see transient • ephemerally …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • ephemeral — [[t]ɪfe̱mərəl[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you describe something as ephemeral, you mean that it lasts only for a very short time. [FORMAL] He talked about the country s ephemeral unity being shattered by the defeat... These paintings are in some ways a… …   English dictionary

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