English
wikipedia
Alternative spellings
top2
æther
ether
mid2
aethyr
ethyr
Etymology
From L. term|æther||the upper pure, bright air|langla < AGr. term|scpolytonic|αἰθή�|traith�r||upper air|langgrc < term|scpolytonic|αἴθ�|traith�||I burn, shine|lang=grc.
Pronunciation
a|UK IPA|/�i�θ�/
a|US IPA|/�i�θ�ɻ/
Noun
en-noun|-
- context|poetic|_|or|_|literary The sky or heavens; the upper air.
- context|ancient philosophy A classical physical element, considered as prevalent in the heavens and inaccessible to humans.
#*2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford 2004, p. 10
#*:There is thus a fifth classical element, which Aristotle called the aether. But it is inaccessible to earthly beings, and so plays no part in the constitution of mundane matter.
- context|physics|archaic An elastic substance once thought to fill all space, and to allow for the transmission of light.
- chemistry A volatile liquid, C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>10</sub>O, formed from the addition of sulphuric acid to alcohol (now only spelled ether).
Quotations
seeCites
Translations
trans-top|the upper sky
Portuguese: t|pt|éter|m
trans-mid
trans-bottom
trans-top|substance once thought to fill all space
Chinese: t|zh|以太
Portuguese: t|pt|éter|m
trans-mid
Spanish: t|es|éter|m
trans-bottom
fr:aether
ru:aether
fi:aether
vi:aether
zh:aether
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