ephemeral English · revision 2453

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛˈfɛ.mə.ɹəl/, /əˈfɛ.mə.ɹəl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[grc|ἐφήμερος|tr=ephḗmeros|t=lasting a day]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) [[af|grc|ἐπί|ἡμέρα|tr1=epí|tr2=hēméra|t1=on|t2=day]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) with the English suffix [[-al]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) Middle English had an earlier borrowing ''effimera'' “a fever lasting a day” (before 1398), from Medieval Latin ''ephemera''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of diseases, insects and flowers, lasting only a day or a very few days (1576).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The extended sense “short-lived, transitory” is recorded from the 1630s (before 1639).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The noun, for insects that live only a day, follows in 1817,^(OED 1989) and Merriam-Webster records it for a plant that grows, flowers and dies within a few days (1807).^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1398 – Middle English ''effimera'', a one-day fever.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1576 – lasting only a day.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * before 1639 – short-lived, transitory.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1807 – noun, a short-lived plant.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1817 – noun, insects living only a day.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Lasting a very short time; fleeting.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Living or lasting only a day.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something short-lived.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ephemerality]]

+ * [[ephemerally]]

+ * [[ephemeralness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ephemera]]

+ * [[ephemeron]]

+ * [[mayfly]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''fleeting'', ''evanescent'', ''transient'', ''momentary'' and ''brief'' as synonyms, and ''permanent'' as the antonym.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}