different between silky vs ethereal

English

Etymology

From Middle English sylky, equivalent to silk +? -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?lki/
• Rhymes: -?lki

Adjective

silky (comparative silkier, superlative silkiest)

1. Similar in appearance or texture (especially in softness and smoothness) to silk.

   cloth with a silky lustre

   silky hair

2. Smooth and pleasant; seductive.

   a silky wine

   a silky voice

   silky skills

3. (botany) Covered in long, slender, glistening hairs pressed close to the surface; sericeous.

Derived terms

• silky oak
• silky soft

Translations

Noun

silky (plural silkies)

1. Alternative spelling of silkie

References

• silky in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• “silky” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)

Anagrams

• Kisly

English

Alternative forms

• etherial
• aethereal
• aetherial
• æthereal
• æthereall (obsolete)
• ætherial
• ætheriall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Latin aetherius (“of or pertaining to the ether, the sky, or the air or upper air; ethereal”), from Ancient Greek ???????? (aithérios, “of or pertaining to the upper air; ethereal”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?????.?i.?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?????.i.?l/, /?????.i.?l/

Adjective

ethereal (comparative more ethereal, superlative most ethereal)

1. Pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere; celestial; otherworldly.
   • 1862: Thoreau, Walking.

     I trust that we shall be more imaginative, that our thoughts will be clearer, fresher, and more ethereal, as our sky, […]

2. Consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy, as form, manner, thought, etc.
3. Delicate, light and airy.
4. (chemistry) To do with ether.

   an ethereal solution

Synonyms

• (pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air): aereous, mystical, transcendental; See also Thesaurus:cosmic
• (consisting of ether): ethereous; See also Thesaurus:gaseous, Thesaurus:insubstantial, or Thesaurus:subtle
• (delicate, light and airy): gossamer; See also Thesaurus:fragile
• (to do with ether): ethereous, etheric, etherical

Derived terms

Translations

References

• ethereal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.