Adjacent Words

Ether definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

E'THER, n. [L. oether; Gr. to burn, to shine; Eng. weather.]
1. A thin, subtil matter, much finer and rarer than air, which, some philosophers suppose, begins from the limits of the atmosphere and occupies the heavenly space.
There fields of light and liquid ether flow.
2. In chimistry, a very light, volatile and inflammable fluid, produced by the distillation of alcohol or rectified spirit of wine, with an acid. It is lighter than alcohol, of a strong sweet smell, susceptible of great expansion, and of a pungent taste. It is so volatile, that when shaken it is dissipated in an instant.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies [syn: quintessence, ether]
2: any of a class of organic compounds that have two hydrocarbon groups linked by an oxygen atom
3: a medium that was once supposed to fill all space and to support the propagation of electromagnetic waves [syn: ether, aether]
4: a colorless volatile highly inflammable liquid formerly used as an inhalation anesthetic [syn: ether, ethoxyethane, divinyl ether, vinyl ether, diethyl ether, ethyl ether]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin aether, from Greek aith?r, from aithein to ignite, blaze; akin to Old English ?d pyre — more at edify Date: 14th century 1. a. the rarefied element formerly believed to fill the upper regions of space b. the upper regions of space ; heavens 2. a. (also aether) a medium that in the wave theory of light permeates all space and transmits transverse waves b. airwaves 3. a. a light volatile flammable liquid C₄H₁₀O used chiefly as a solvent and especially formerly as an anesthetic b. any of a class of organic compounds characterized by an oxygen atom attached to two carbon atoms • etheric adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 Chem. a a colourless volatile organic liquid used as an anaesthetic or solvent. Also called DIETHYL ETHER, ETHOXYETHANE. Usage: Chem. formula: C2H5OC2H5 b any of a class of organic compounds with a similar structure to this, having an oxygen joined to two alkyl etc. groups. 2 a clear sky; the upper regions of air beyond the clouds. 3 hist. a a medium formerly assumed to permeate space and fill the interstices between particles of matter. b a medium through which electromagnetic waves were formerly thought to be transmitted. Derivatives: etheric adj. Etymology: ME f. OF ether or L aether f. Gk aither f. root of aitho burn, shine

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ether E"ther, n. [L. aether, Gr. ?, fr. ? to light up, kindle, burn, blaze; akin to Skr. idh, indh, and prob. to E. idle: cf. F. ['e]ther.] [Written also [ae]ther.] 1. (Physics) A medium of great elasticity and extreme tenuity, supposed to pervade all space, the interior of solid bodies not excepted, and to be the medium of transmission of light and heat; hence often called luminiferous ether.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Ether is a colourless liquid that burns easily. It is used in industry and in medicine as an anaesthetic. ...a sweetish smell of ether and iodine.

Hitchcock Bible Dictionary

talk

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e'-ther (`ether; Ather):

A town in Judah (Jos 15:42), near Libnah, assigned to Simeon (Jos 19:7). Kh. el `Atr (identical in spelling with Ether) is possibly the site.

It is near Beit Jibrin and is described as "an ancient site: cisterns, foundations, quarried rock and terraces" (PEF, III, 261, 279).

Foolish Dictionary

One of the world's three great composers--the others being Gas and Chloroform--whose airs are popular among the suffering.

Moby Thesaurus

Caelus, Dry Ice, Freon, Olympian heights, Pentothal, acme, aerial heights, air, airy nothing, ammonia, apex, azure, blue sky, bubble, caelum, canopy, canopy of heaven, carbon dioxide, cerulean, chaff, chip, chloroform, cobweb, cocaine, coolant, cope, cork, dizzy heights, down, dust, elevation, eminence, empyrean, ethyl chloride, ethylene, fairy, feather, firmament, flue, fluff, foam, freezing mixture, froth, fuzz, gas, gossamer, heaven, heavens, height, heights, hyaline, ice, ice cubes, illusion, lift, lifts, liquid air, liquid helium, liquid oxygen, menthol, mist, mote, nitrous oxide, ozone, phantom, raise, refrigerant, rise, rising ground, shadow, sky, smoke, spirit, sponge, spume, starry heaven, steep, stratosphere, straw, the blue, the blue serene, thin air, thistledown, uprise, vantage ground, vantage point, vapor, vault, vault of heaven, welkin, zenith