Overview

Episode Theme:
This episode of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day (January 19, 2026) explores the word "ephemeral." Host Peter Sokolowski delves into its definition, etymology, and evocative real-world examples to illuminate the fleeting nature of ephemeral things.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition and Spelling (00:00–00:20)

• Word of the Day: Ephemeral
• Spelling: "E P H E M E R A L"
• Definition (00:10):

  "Ephemeral is an adjective, something described as ephemeral lasts only for a very short time."
  — Peter Sokolowski

2. Example in Context (00:21–00:44)

• Cites a sentence from the Seattle Times to illustrate the word's use:
  • "Like most garden moments, fresh holiday wreaths are ephemeral, having accomplished their purpose of seeing us through the darkest days of winter. Removing this traditional symbol of the wheeling seasons is a way to recognize the birth of a new year and celebrate the returning light."

3. The Mayfly: A Living Symbol (00:45–01:15)

• Discusses the mayfly, an aquatic insect, as an example of something truly ephemeral:
  • Mayfly life span:
    • Aquatic immature stage: up to two years (more commonly one year)
    • Adult stage:

      "The typical mayfly hatches, takes wing for the first time, mates and dies within the span of a few short hours. This briefest of heydays makes the insect a potent symbol of life's ephemeral nature."
      — Peter Sokolowski (01:10)

4. Etymology and Early Use (01:16–01:38)

• Greek root: "ephemeros" meaning "lasting a day"
• First English appearance: Late 16th century as a scientific term
  • Originally used for "short term fevers" and organisms (insects, flowers) with brief life spans
• Quickly broadened to a metaphorical use:

  "Soon after that, it acquired an extended sense, describing anything fleeting and short-lived as in ephemeral pleasures."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the word’s essence:

  "Ephemeral is an adjective, something described as ephemeral lasts only for a very short time."
  — Peter Sokolowski (00:10)

• On holiday wreaths:

  "Like most garden moments, fresh holiday wreaths are ephemeral, having accomplished their purpose of seeing us through the darkest days of winter..."
  — Seattle Times, cited by Peter Sokolowski (00:21)

• On the mayfly’s fleeting life:

  "The typical mayfly hatches, takes wing for the first time, mates and dies within the span of a few short hours. This briefest of heydays makes the insect a potent symbol of life's ephemeral nature."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:10)

• Origin story:

  "When the word ephemeral, from the Greek word ephemeros, meaning lasting a day, first appeared in print in English in the late 16th century, it was a scientific term applied to short term fevers and later to organisms such as insects and flowers with very short lifespans."
  — Peter Sokolowski (01:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–00:10 | Introduction, spelling, and definition
• 00:21–00:44 | Example from Seattle Times on garden wreaths
• 00:45–01:15 | Mayfly’s life cycle as a metaphor for ephemerality
• 01:16–01:38 | Etymology and early usage
• 01:39–end | Closing remarks

Tone and Language

The episode features Peter Sokolowski's clear, educational tone, blending concise definitions with evocative examples and a gentle, poetic sensibility as he connects language to lived experience.

Summary

This episode elegantly unpacks "ephemeral," using both botanical and biological metaphors—the fleeting beauty of holiday wreaths and the mayfly's brief adulthood—to capture the delicate, transient nature of the word. With roots tracing to the Greek for “lasting a day,” “ephemeral” is presented not just as a scientific term, but as a powerful descriptor for the fleeting things in life, from the joys of a season to the life of an insect.