ephemeral
- Lasting for only a very short time; transitory.
- In botany, denoting a plant that has a very short life cycle, sometimes completing it within days.
In a sentence
- Social-media trends are ephemeral, blazing brightly for a week before being completely forgotten.
- The ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms makes the annual festival all the more meaningful.
Usage note. Ephemeral often carries a note of wistfulness or preciousness because of the brevity it describes; avoid overusing it for things that are merely brief without emotional resonance.
Where it comes from
English ephemeral · entered English late 16th c.
From Greek ephemeros, meaning 'lasting only a day,' from epi- ('on, for') and hemera ('day'). It entered English in the late 16th century, initially in medical and natural-history contexts.