empyreal

E1M3P3Y4R1E1A1L1
UK/ɛmˈpɪɹɪəl/UK/ɛmpɪˈɹiː.əl/US/ɛmˈpɪɹ.i.əl/

adjective

Pertaining to the highest heaven or the empyrean.

Similar
celestialempyreansublimeexaltedglorious
OriginLatin empyreus ← Ancient Greek ἐμπύριος →
RareScrabble 15
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectiveempyreal (not comparable)
  1. not comparablePertaining to the highest heaven or the empyrean.

    They that held the Stars of heaven vvere but rayes and flaſhing glimpſes of the Empyreall light, through holes and perforations of the upper heaven, took of the natural ſhadovvs of ſtars, […]

    1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter IIII.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 181
    2 more examples

    The thirſt of raigne and ſweetnes of a crowne, / That cauſd the eldeſt ſonne of heauenly Ops, / To thruſt his doting father from his chaire, / And place himſelfe in the Emperiall heauen, / Moou’d me to menage armes againſt thy ſtate.

    c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii

    This downfall ; ſince by Fate the ſtrength of Gods / And this Empyreal ſubſtance cannot fail, / Since through experience of this great event / In Arms not worſe, in foreſight much advanc't, / We may with more ſucceſsſul hope reſolve / To wage by force or guile eternal Warr[…]

    1674, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], 2nd edition, London: […] S[amuel] Simmons […], →OCLC, page 6

    Synonyms: celestial, empyrean, sublime, exalted

  2. not comparableOf the sky or heavens.
  3. not comparableFiery, made of pure fire.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePertaining to the highest heaven or the empyrean.

Similar
celestialempyreansublimeexalted

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof or relating to the sky or heavens

Similar
empyrean

adjectiveinspiring awe

Similar
empyreansublimeglorious
Also see
empyreangloriousheavenlysublime

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἐμπύριος“fiery”
  2. Latinempyreus
  3. Englishempyreal

From Latin empyreus, from Ancient Greek ἐμπύριος (empúrios, “fiery”), from ἐν (en, “en-”) + πῦρ (pûr, “fire”) (English pyre).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech nebeský, nebeský
  • nebeskýpertaining to the highest heaven
  • nebeskýof the sky or heavens
Scottish Gaelic nèamhaidh, nèamhaidh
  • nèamhaidhpertaining to the highest heaven
  • nèamhaidhof the sky or heavens
Spanish empíreo, empíreo
  • empíreopertaining to the highest heaven
  • empíreoof the sky or heavens
Swedish empyreisk, empyreisk
  • empyreiskpertaining to the highest heaven
  • empyreiskof the sky or heavens
Cite this entry
APA

empyreal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/empyreal

MLA

“empyreal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/empyreal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “empyreal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/empyreal.

Source: empyreal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.