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Ethereal vs Heavenly - What's the difference?

ethereal | heavenly |

As adjectives the difference between ethereal and heavenly

is that ethereal is pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere; celestial; otherworldly; as, ethereal space; ethereal regions while heavenly is of or pertaining to the heaven believed in by many religions; good, beautiful, glorious, pleasurable.

As an adverb heavenly is

in a manner like that of heaven; by the influence or agency of heaven; divinely, miraculously.

ethereal

English

Alternative forms

* aethereal * aetherial * * (obsolete) * * (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to the hypothetical upper, purer air, or to the higher regions beyond the earth or beyond the atmosphere; celestial; otherworldly; as, ethereal space; ethereal regions.
  • * 1667 : , Paradise Lost , book VII
  • Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger.
  • * 1862 : , Walking .
  • I trust that we shall be more imaginative, that our thoughts will be clearer, fresher, and more ethereal , as our sky,...
  • Consisting of ether; hence, exceedingly light or airy; tenuous; spiritlike; characterized by extreme delicacy, as form, manner, thought, etc.
  • * 1733 : , An Essay on Man
  • Vast chain of being, which from God began, Natures ethereal , human, angel, man.
  • Delicate, light and airy.
  • Derived terms

    * ethereality * ethereally * etherealness * etherealization * etherealisation * etherealizing

    heavenly

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Of or pertaining to the heaven believed in by many religions; good, beautiful, glorious, pleasurable.
  • Of or pertaining to the heavens or sky, regarded as the realm of the sun, moon, planets and stars.
  • Of or pertaining to the kingdom of God; divine.
  • * 1817 , (author-editor), Speech in the Case of O?Mullan v. M?Korkill'', ''The Speeches of Charles Phillips , page 131,
  • No doubt, you have all personally considered — no doubt, you have all personally experienced, that of all the blessings which it has pleased Providence to allow us to cultivate, there is not one which breathes a purer fragrance, or bears an heavenlier aspect than education.
  • Extremely beautiful or pleasurable.
  • Oh, please continue giving me a massage - it?s absolutely heavenly .
  • * 1880 , '', ''The Works of Mark Twain: Authorized Uniform Edition , Volume 1, page 19,
  • So he flew down and got that acorn, and fetched it up and dropped it in, and was just tilting his head back, with the heavenliest smile on his face, when all of a sudden he was paralyzed into a listening attitude and that smile faded gradually out of his countenance like breath off?n a razor, and the queerest look of surprise took its place.

    Synonyms

    * (of or pertaining to the heaven of any of many religions) * celestial * (of or pertaining to the Kingdom of God) divine * (extremely beautiful or pleasurable) beatific, divine

    Derived terms

    * heavenly body

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a manner like that of heaven; by the influence or agency of heaven; divinely, miraculously.
  • *, II.12:
  • by night [she] saw that God in her armes, saying moreover unto her, that the next day, the first man she met withall, should heavenly pay her her wages.
  • To a degree such as to elicit great pleasure.
  • * 2003 , Ruben Soto, Fiesta for the Hispanic Soul , p. 136:
  • Then, we taste the refried beans and the rice, and they are so heavenly delicious.