Elements of the Universe: Aether ("Sky")

The ancients believed that the universe was composed of five basic elements: earth, air, fire, water, and sky. The Greek and Latin words for these elements still show up in our language today. Aither, a Greek word meaning "pure or upper sky," was a fifth element that was thought to be a purer and higher form of fire or air, and it was the most sacred of all the elements.

Here are links to our complete set of Elements of the Universe lists: Cosm, Cosmo ("Universe") / Terr, Terra ("Earth") / Geo ("Earth") / Hydr, Hydro ("Water") / Aqua ("Water") / Ign, Igni ("Fire") / Pyr, Pyro ("Fire") / Aer, Aero ("Air") / Aether ("Sky") / Aster, Astro ("Star") / Sol ("Sun")
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ether
    element once believed to consitute all heavenly bodies
    Some prayers will be answered; others will drift into the ether. New York Times (Jun 3, 2015)
  2. etherize
    anesthetize with ether
    Under ordinary conditions he would have been etherized in an adjoining chamber and brought into the operating-room entirely unconscious. Bleyer, Willard Grosvenor
    In addition to being a term for a so-called "fifth element," ether is also the name for a highly flammable liquid that was formerly used as an anesthetic.
  3. ethereal
    characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
    Snow leopards, which belong to the genus Panthera, inhabit some of the highest mountain ranges in the world, and their camouflage is so perfectly tuned that they appear ethereal, as though made from storm clouds. The New Yorker (Dec 30, 2018)
  4. etherealize
    make ethereal
    As always, his beautiful touch—as patient as solitaire, as unpredictable as roulette—simultaneously establishes and etherealizes the image. The New Yorker (Feb 25, 2019)
  5. ethernet
    a type of network technology for local area networks
    Taylor’s engineering team also helped develop the ethernet and a word processing program that became Microsoft Word. The Guardian (Apr 15, 2017)
    The "net" in ethernet is a shortening of internet. Before the ethernet linked computers, ether was used to refer to radio communication.
  6. ethyl
    the univalent hydrocarbon radical C2H5 derived from ethane by the removal of one hydrogen atom
    Alcohol -- ethanol or ethyl alcohol -- is used in 90 percent of these hand cleaners, the FDA said. US News (Jun 29, 2016)
  7. ethane
    a colorless odorless alkane gas used as fuel
    The seas are filled not with water, but with hydrocarbons like methane and ethane. BBC (Mar 18, 2015)
  8. ethanol
    colorless flammable liquid used as a solvent or intoxicant
    The Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, has required corn-based ethanol to be blended into almost every gallon of gasoline sold in the U.S. Washington Times (Aug 13, 2015)
  9. urethane
    an ester of carbamic acid
    Some of their designs are multilayer balls with urethane covers, typically the highest-priced golf ball construction on the market. Golf Digest (Oct 16, 2013)
  10. polyurethane
    any of various polymers containing the urethane radical
    Replacement by polyurethane piping, which can withstand earthquake shaking, could overcome this problem. BBC (Dec 10, 2013)
  11. ester
    formed by reaction between an acid and an alcohol with elimination of water
    Certain volatile esters — the naturally occurring chemical compounds that create smell — can actually make food taste sweeter, saltier and more bitter. Los Angeles Times (Jun 19, 2015)
  12. polyester
    a complex ester used for making fibers or resins or plastics or as a plasticizer
    These fabrics are usually wool, silk or synthetic materials made of polyester and nylon. Washington Times (Jan 2, 2015)
    poly ("many") + meros ("part") + aither
Created on Fri Aug 14 11:55:16 EDT 2015 (updated Mon Aug 26 15:42:08 EDT 2019)

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