empyreal, a.
(ɛmˈpɪrɪəl, ɛmpɪˈriːəl)
Forms: 5 imperyal, 7 empyreall, emperial, imperial(l, 7–8 empyrial(l, 6– empyreal.
[f. Med.L. empyreus, empyræus, f. Gr. ἐµπύρ-ος fiery) + -al1.]
1. Of or pertaining to the empyrean or highest heaven. Also fig.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. xxxii. 184 And that is called the heuen Imperyal. c 1590 Marlowe Faust. vi. 63 The seven planets, the firmament, and the empyreal heaven. 1652 Caryl Job xiv. 12. 604 The imperial heaven, which is called the Seat of the blessed. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 14 Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum'd..and drawn Empyreal aire. 1732 Pope Ess. Man ii. 23 Go soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere. 1850 W. Irving Mahomet vii. (1853) 39 Seated securely in the empyreal heavens. |
b. Of or pertaining to the sky or visible heaven; celestial.
| 1744 Akenside Pleas. Imag. i. 202 Amaz'd she views The empyreal waste. 1882 Whinfield tr. Omar Khayyam 64 Yon palace whose roofs touch the empyreal blue. |
c. quasi-n.
| 1827 Keble Chr. Y., Quinquages. Sund., Happy souls..Plunge in th' empyreal vast. |
2. fig. Sublime, elevated, superior, rare.
| 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. ii. (1851) 143 A mortall thing among many readers of no Empyreall conceit. 1735–6 H. Brooke Univ. Beauty i. 194 Empyreal natures with empyreal names. a 1797 W. Mason Ode to Truth iv. 39 Shall a form..of mould'ring clay, Vie with these charms empyrial? |
3. In etymological sense: Fiery; composed of or resembling the pure element of fire. Also fig.
| 1601 Deacon & Walker Spirits & Divels 93 They..consist of empyriall or fierie bodies. a 1711 Ken Hymns Evang. Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 6 A chariot..Of brightest empyreal Substance built. 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. i. i. (1849) 32 Certain empyreal, luminous or phosphoric clouds. |
† 4. Chem. Capable of supporting combustion. empyreal air: Scheele's name for oxygen. Obs.
| 1780 tr. Scheele's Experiments 35 Since this air is absolutely necessary for the generation of fire..I shall henceforth..call it empyreal air. 1812 Sir H. Davy Chem. Philos. 226 Only two undecompounded empyreal substances have been as yet discovered. |
† b. (See quot.) Obs.
| 1801 Herschel Sun in Phil. Trans. XCI. 303 An elastic gas, which may be called empyreal, is constantly formed [in the sun]. |