ephemeral, a. (n.)
(ɪˈfɛmərəl)
[f. Gr. ἐϕήµερ-ος (see prec.) + -al1.]
A. adj.
1. a. Of diseases: Beginning and ending in a day. b. Of insects, flowers, etc.: Existing for one day only, or for a very few days.
| a. 1576 Newton tr. Lemnie's Complex. (1633) 164 The corruption of the Ayre is the cause of this grievous maladie or Ephemerall Ague. 1866 A. Flint Princ. Med. (1880) 945 If very short, lasting only a single day, it is..an ephemeral fever. |
| b. 1826 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. (1828) IV. xlix. 523 Some insects are so ephemeral that they are to be found only for a few days. 1864 Intell. Observ. No. 33. 149 The perfect Ephemeral imago. 1875 Helps Ess., Exerc. Benevolence 36 The insects..poor ephemeral things. 1880 Gray Struct. Bot. vi. §5. 243 Ephemeral or Fugacious, lasting for only a day; as the petals of Poppy. |
2. a. In more extended application: That is in existence, power, favour, popularity, etc. for a short time only; short-lived; transitory.
| a 1639 Sir H. Wotton Reliq. Wotton. (1685) 220 An ephemeral fit of applause. a 1659 Bp. Morton Episc. Justified (1670) 142 A Deambulatory, Hebdomatical (or peradventure Ephemeral) Office. 1810 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 137 His ministers, however weak and profligate in morals, are ephemeral. 1821 Knox On Grammar Schools 157 The gale of ephemeral popularity. 1825 Syd. Smith Sp. Wks. 1859 II. 204/2 Their ephemeral liberty. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. vi. 481 Empires like those of Alexander, Charles, and Cnut are in their own nature ephemeral. |
b. absol.| 1875 Browning Aristoph. Apol. 127 May I, the ephemeral, ne'er scrutinize Who made the heaven and earth. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 381 When the due distinction had been drawn between the ephemeral and the lasting. |
B. n. in pl. Insects which live only for a day. Also
transf. of books, persons, etc.
| 1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit. II. xx. 121 Gnats, beetles, etc...the whole tribe of ephemerals..may flit in and out. 1831 Blackw. Mag. XXX. 965 Let the breezy sunshine but bring out the winged ephemerals. 1870 Swinburne Ess. & Stud. (1875) 106 Assemblies of important ephemerals who met to dispute the respective claims, etc. 1878 W. E. A. Axon Bk. Rarities Warrington Museum 11 Some of these books are pure ephemerals. |
Hence
eˈphemerally adv.;
eˈphemeralness.
| 1848 Mill Pol. Econ. II. xiv. §4. 1. 467 The most ephemerally celebrated, and the really greatest poets (Byron and Shelley). 1911 G. H. Mair Eng. Lit.: Mod. ii. 48 Pamphlets or text books that have been preserved by accident from the ephemeralness which was the common lot of hundreds of their fellows. 1922 W. J. Locke Tale of Triona ix. 101 Let him make good, not ephemerally..but definitely. 1941 Wyndham Lewis Let. 10 Aug. (1963) 295 The book-business, in America has been..reduced to a level of ephemeralness, news-value, and mere fact-finding past belief. 1969 Daily Tel. 21 Apr. 16/3 Some of the enjoyment of a good performance lies in its very ephemeralness. |