ephemeral
gb/ɪfˈɛmɚəl/ us/ɪfˈɛmɚəl/
C1
English
rövid életű, múlékony, efemer, efemera, múló jelenség
C1
FORMAL
1
rövid életű
B2
múlékony
C1
Usage pattern:
[something] is ephemeral; an ephemeral [noun]
The city’s fame was ephemeral, fading within a few months.
A város hírneve rövid életű volt, és néhány hónapon belül elhalványult.
Cherry blossoms are beautiful but ephemeral, lasting only a short time.
A cseresznyevirágzás gyönyörű, de múlékony, csak rövid ideig tart.
They tried to capture the ephemeral feeling of summer in the song.
Learner examples
Happiness can be ephemeral.
A boldogság lehet múlékony.
The rain was ephemeral and stopped quickly.
Az eső csak rövid ideig tartott, és gyorsan elállt.
Common mistake:
Often confused with 'temporary' (can be longer and more planned) and misspelled as *ephermeral*.
Meaning
lasting only a short time
Collocations
ephemeral beauty
|ephemeral pleasure
|ephemeral moment
|ephemeral fame
|ephemeral nature
|ephemeral joy
|ephemeral relationship
|ephemeral trend
|ephemeral quality
|ephemeral existence
Synonyms
fleeting (Emphasizes how quickly something passes.)
|
short-lived (Plain and direct; focuses on limited duration.)
|
transitory (More formal; suggests not permanent by nature.)
Antonyms
enduring (Lasting for a long time despite difficulty or change.)
|
lasting (Continuing for a long time.)
|
permanent (Not expected to change or end.)
Themes
time
|describing_things
Definition
If something is ephemeral, it does not last long.
Lasting for a very short time; quickly passing or disappearing.
C1
TECHNICAL
2
efemer
C2
Usage pattern:
ephemeral [data/resource/instance]
The service uses ephemeral containers that are created and destroyed on demand.
A szolgáltatás efemer konténereket használ, amelyeket igény szerint hoz létre és szüntet meg.
Store logs in persistent storage, not in an ephemeral directory.
A naplókat tartós tárhelyen tárold, ne efemer könyvtárban.
The system generates ephemeral credentials that expire after a few minutes.
Learner examples
This is ephemeral storage, so the files will disappear.
Ez efemer tárhely, ezért a fájlok el fognak tűnni.
The app creates an ephemeral password that expires soon.
Az alkalmazás ideiglenes jelszót hoz létre, amely hamar lejár.
Common mistake:
In tech writing, it does not mean 'unimportant'; it means 'not persistent' or 'short-lived by design'.
Meaning
temporary in computing systems
Collocations
ephemeral data
|ephemeral storage
|ephemeral instance
|ephemeral container
|ephemeral environment
|ephemeral credentials
|ephemeral key
|ephemeral port
|ephemeral filesystem
|ephemeral volume
Synonyms
temporary (General term; not necessarily implying non-persistence.)
|
nonpersistent (More explicit about not being stored long-term.)
Antonyms
persistent (Designed to remain available and stored over time.)
|
durable (Able to survive failures and remain intact.)
Themes
technology
|computing
Definition
In technology, ephemeral means temporary and not saved permanently.
In computing, designed to exist only briefly and not be kept as long-term or persistent data or resources.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
efemera
C2
Usage pattern:
an ephemeral; ephemerals
In the museum’s archive, advertisements and ticket stubs are treated as ephemerals worth preserving.
A múzeum archívumában a reklámokat és a jegycsonkokat megőrzésre érdemes efemeráknak tekintik.
He collected the ephemerals of the internet—memes, slogans, and short-lived trends.
Az internet efemeráit gyűjtötte: mémeket, szlogeneket és rövid életű trendeket.
The book is a study of ephemerals that shaped public opinion and then vanished.
Learner examples
A postcard can be an ephemeral.
Egy képeslap is lehet efemera.
She keeps old ephemerals in a box.
Régi efemerákat tart egy dobozban.
Common mistake:
This noun use is less common than the adjective; many situations sound more natural with 'something ephemeral' or 'a fleeting thing'.
Meaning
something that lasts briefly
Collocations
a cultural ephemeral
|digital ephemerals
|the ephemerals of everyday life
Synonyms
transient (Often used for things that exist briefly and then pass away.)
|
short-lived thing (More explicit and less formal.)
Antonyms
constant (Something that stays the same or continues over time.)
|
fixture (Something that is permanently present in a place or situation.)
Themes
time
|describing_things
Definition
An ephemeral is something that does not last long.
A thing, experience, or phenomenon that lasts only a short time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ephemeral
IPA
GB/ɪfˈɛmɚəl/
US/ɪfˈɛmɚəl/
Syllables & stress
eph - em - er - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (em)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ephemeral
Noun
- Base: ephemeral
- Plural: ephemerals
Word family
Expressions
ephemeral content
1/ɪfˈɛmɚəl kˈɑntɛnt/
fixed phrase
posts that disappear after time
Ephemeral content is content online that disappears after a short time.
Examples
- Brands use ephemeral content to share behind-the-scenes clips.
- She prefers ephemeral content because it feels less permanent than a regular post.
- The app added tools for creating ephemeral content with a 24-hour timer.
Learner examples
- I posted an ephemeral story.
- Ephemeral content disappears quickly.
ephemeral key
1/ɪfˈɛmɚəl kˈi/
fixed phrase
technical
one-time cryptographic key
An ephemeral key is a temporary security key used for a short time.
Examples
- The protocol uses an ephemeral key for each session.
- Ephemeral keys reduce the impact if a long-term key is compromised.
- The client generates an ephemeral key pair during the handshake.
Learner examples
- The app generates an ephemeral key.
- Ephemeral keys are used only briefly.
ephemeral port
1/ɪfˈɛmɚəl pˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
technical
short-term port used for connections
An ephemeral port is a temporary port number used during a network connection.
Examples
- The client opened an ephemeral port to connect to the server.
- Firewall rules must allow return traffic to ephemeral ports for established connections.
- Each new connection may use a different ephemeral port.
Learner examples
- The computer used an ephemeral port.
- Ephemeral ports change often.
ephemeral storage
1/ɪfˈɛmɚəl stˈɔɹɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
temporary storage that is not kept
Ephemeral storage is temporary storage; your data may be deleted soon.
Examples
- Don’t keep important files in ephemeral storage; they may be wiped on restart.
- The workload uses ephemeral storage for caches and temporary downloads.
- They moved the database off ephemeral storage to prevent data loss.
Learner examples
- This server has ephemeral storage.
- Ephemeral storage is not permanent.