empyreal

[ em-pir-ee-uhl, -pahy-ree-, em-puh-ree-uhl, -pahy- ]

adjective

1. pertaining to the highest heaven in the cosmology of the ancients.
2. pertaining to the sky; celestial:

   empyreal blue.

3. formed of pure fire or light:

   empyreal radiance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of empyreal¹

1475–85; < Late Latin empyre ( us ), variant of empyrius (< Greek empýrios fiery, equivalent to em- em- ² + pŷr fire + -ios adj. suffix) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

She has conjured up the Pharaonic funk and empyreal jazz of George Clinton and Sun Ra.

From New York Times

For those with merely several hundred dollars to spend creating ice, a small unit from G.E. presents its cache of frozen water as an empyreal glowing mosaic.

From New York Times

Golf Digest captured Three Ponds Farm in all its glory with this empyreal video.

From Golf Digest

Almost all of his employees had gone home for the evening, and the room glowed its serene empyreal blue and white against the rush-hour traffic outside.

From New York Times

Ms. Fairstein’s food credentials are more than impeccable; they are empyreal.

From New York Times

Related Words

• celestial
• divine
• elysian
• empyrean
• heavenly
• sublime
• supernal