1
adjective
Oxford English Dictionary
Lasting for a very short time; transitory. Characterized by a brief existence or duration.
Example
"The ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms reminds us to cherish every fleeting moment."
— The New York Times
Example
"Fame in the modern era is often ephemeral, lasting only as long as the next trending topic."
— The Guardian
2
adjective
Merriam-Webster
In biology: living for only a day, or for a very short time. Referring to organisms with extremely brief adult lifespans.
Example
"The ephemeral mayfly completes its entire adult life cycle in less than 24 hours."
— National Geographic
3
noun
Cambridge Dictionary
Something that is ephemeral; a transient thing or event. In botany: a plant that germinates, flowers, and dies within an unusually short time.
Example
"Spring ephemerals bloom quickly after the snow melts before the forest canopy shades the ground."
— Botanical Journal
Before 1500 BC
Ancient Greek
ἐφήμερος (ephēmeros)
"lasting only a day" — from epi- ("upon") + hēmera ("day"). Originally used to describe things that existed for a single day.
~120 BC
Latin
ephemeros
Adopted into Latin, retaining the meaning of "daily" or "lasting one day." Used in medical contexts to describe short-duration symptoms.
1560s
Middle French
éphémère
Entered French via scholarly Latin texts. The meaning began expanding to include anything short-lived, not literally lasting one day.
1561
Early Modern English
ephemeral
First recorded in English. Used primarily in scientific and literary contexts to describe things of brief duration. The modern meaning of "transitory" solidified during the 17th century.
19th Century
Modern English
ephemeral (noun)
The noun form emerged, referring to a plant with an extremely brief life cycle, especially in desert regions. Also used in philosophy and art to describe transient beauty.
📊 Usage Over Time (Google Ngram)
"We are all ephemeral travelers on this earth, our lives but a brief flicker in the cosmic timeline."
— Maya Angelou, "Letter to My Daughter" (2008)
"The ephemeral nature of joy is what makes it so precious; if happiness were permanent, it would cease to be happiness."
— Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus (3rd century BC)
"Art is the most ephemeral of all human endeavors — a whisper against the silence of eternity."
— Sylvia Plath, "The Unabridged Journals" (2000)
Common Collocations
Adj
ephemeral beauty
Adj
ephemeral moment
Adj
ephemeral nature
Adj
ephemeral joy
Adj
ephemeral fame
Adj
ephemeral art
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French
éphémère
🇪🇸
Spanish
efímero
🇩🇪
German
vergänglich
🇮🇹
Italian
effimero
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Portuguese
efêmero
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Japanese
ephemeral（一時的）
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Korean
일시적인
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Chinese
短暂的（duǎn zàn de）
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Russian
преходящий
🇸🇦
Arabic
مؤقت