ether
word
Definition
Ether is a clear, highly flammable liquid used as an anesthetic in medicine and as a solvent in chemistry. In old literature, it can also mean the supposed material filling the space above the earth, or the sky.
Usage & Nuances
'Ether' in modern English is mostly used in scientific, technical, or historical contexts. The literary meaning (sky or upper air) is outdated and poetic. Do not confuse with 'ethernet' (computer networking). Common collocations: 'an ether solution,' 'under ether' (anesthesia).
Example Sentences
The doctor used ether as an anesthetic during the surgery.
basic
Ether is a clear liquid that burns easily.
basic
Scientists use ether to dissolve some chemicals in the lab.
basic
In old poetry, the soul was said to rise to the ether after death.
natural
She lay quietly, drifting off under the effects of ether.
natural
Some people believed radio waves traveled through the ether in space.
natural