etheric
ˈɛθərɪk
adjective
Origin
Ancient Greek
aithēr — upper air, bright sky
Overview
Meaning Now
- Relating to or consisting of the hypothetical medium known as 'aether' or 'ether'.
- Of, relating to, or suggesting a celestial, spiritual, or supernatural plane of existence beyond the physical.
Literal older meaning
Of or pertaining to the upper air or the celestial luminiferous medium.
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
etheric
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term gained popularity in the 19th century as physicists debated the 'luminiferous ether' as a medium for light waves. Subsequently, it was adopted by esoteric traditions like Theosophy to describe a non-physical layer of reality or energy said to permeate living beings.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
aithēr
“the pure, bright upper air”
- Latin
aether
“the upper atmosphere”
Borrowed from Greek.
- Late Latin
aethericus
“celestial, heavenly”
- English, 19th Century
etheric
“pertaining to the ether or spiritual plane”
Coined in the context of Victorian science and spiritualist movements.
Connections
Word parts
ether
root
upper air or luminiferous medium
-ic
suffix
forming an adjective denoting relationship or characteristic
Related across languages
French
éthérique
etheric
German
ätherisch
ethereal or etheric
Explore next
Related to etheric
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.