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ephemeral

ephemeral

8.6
A plant or insect that lives for only a very short time
  • noun
  • /ɪˈfɛmərəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : efímero
  • The ephemeral life cycle of certain insects means they only emerge to mate for a few days each year.
  • spring ephemerals

Examples

  • Had it not been for the random drawing of species combinations, we would not have tested assemblages with and without Tc, because this small and often inconspicuous species is a winter-spring ephemeral that displays little evidence of its rich store of N.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Fudge is the one physical thing and one ephemeral thing that you absolutely could not get rid of.

  • This issue's set of articles opens with a contribution by co-editor Christine Mullen Kreamer titled, "Impermanent by Design: The Ephemeral in Africa's Tradition-Based Arts."

    Academic text (2010)
  • Many garden enthusiasts plant ephemerals that bloom beautifully in spring but wither away before summer arrives.

  • The ephemeral nature of the mayfly means it lives for just a day once it becomes an adult.

Synonyms

ephemeron
vsephemeral
9.9

A living thing or object that lasts only a very short time like a mayfly

is the adjective form used to describe that short-lived quality
ephemerid
vsephemeral
  • Specialized
9.9

An insect like a mayfly that lives and dies within a day

is broader, applying to any very short-lived organism or object

Antonyms

12 3.9

A plant that lives for several years and comes back each spring

How Temporary

ephemeral
  • Specialized
8.6
seasonal
85 2.7
long-lived
6 3.9

Surface Forms

ephemeral singular
ephemerals plural

Etymology

Ephemeral as a noun comes from the same Greek parts epi- 'on' and hemera 'day', meaning 'lasting a day', so in nature ephemerals are plants or insects that appear and finish their life very quickly.