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empyreal

Things that are empyreal have something to do with the sky. You might enthusiastically describe a beautiful sunset over the ocean as "an empyreal spectacle."

The adjective empyreal isn't used very often, aside from poetic and religious writing. You might come across it in a poem, describing the summer sky in flowery terms, or in a more devout context to mean "heavenly." If you read the phrase "empyreal realm," it either means a divine paradise or a beautiful, awe-inspiring sky. The word empyrean is also correct, and both forms of the word come from the Greek root empyros, or "fiery."

Definitions of empyreal
  1. adjective
    of or relating to the sky or heavens
    synonyms: empyrean
  2. adjective
    inspiring awe
    “"well-meaning ineptitude that rises to empyreal absurdity"- M.S.Dworkin”
    synonyms: empyrean, sublime
    glorious
    having or deserving or conferring glory
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘empyreal'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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