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Where does the word "ephemeral" come from? It comes from Greek ephemeros, and was adopted directly into English (1570s).
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Where does the word "ephemeral" come from? It comes from Greek ephemeros, and was adopted directly into English (1570s).
Ephemeral’s story begins in Greek: ephemeros meant “lasting only a day.” Literally lasting only a day, from epi- (on) and hemera (day). It reached English by 1570s as ephemeral. Settled as the English word for something short-lived. Today, ephemeral means lasting for a very short time.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient ephemeros "lasting only a day", literally lasting only a day, from epi- (on) and hemera (day).
- Stage 2 · English · 1570s ephemeral "lasting for a very short time", settled as the English word for something short-lived.