Added 28 September 2026

ephemeral

/ɪˈfem.ər.əl/ adjective

Latin root: ephemerus Wiktionary

adjective Definition written for WordofTheDay.US. More about ephemeral at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Lasting for a very short time.
The cherry blossoms are famous precisely because their beauty is so ephemeral.

From New Latin ephemerus, from Ancient Greek ἐφήμερος (ephḗmeros), the more common form of ἐφημέριος (ephēmérios, “of, for, or during the day, living or lasting but for a day, short-lived, temporary”), from ἐπί (epí, “on”) + ἡμέρα (hēméra, “day”).