wikipedia
English
Etymology
From Latin empyrius, from Greek (empyrios), from (em) + (pyr), which means "in fire, fiery."
Noun
empyrean
- the region of pure light and fire; the highest heaven, where the pure element of fire was supposed by the ancients to exist: the same as the ether, the ninth heaven according to ancient astronomy
#*RQ:Milton Lost 1674, 7 - So sung they, and the Empyrean rung, / With Halleluiahs:
#*1863: w:Alfred Tennyson|Alfred Tennyson, Experiments in Quantity - the deep-domed empyrean / Rings to the roar of an angel onset
#*RQ:Chesterton Thursday 1 - The very empyrean seemed to be a secret.
Alternative spellings
empyreal
Adjective
empyrean
- empyreal; of the sky or the heavens; celestially refined
#*1667: w:John Dryden|John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis - In th'empyrean heaven, the bless'd abode, / The Thrones and the Dominions prostrate lie, / Not daring to behold their angry God.
#*1700: w:Matthew Prior|Matthew Prior, Carmen Saeculare - Yet upward she [the goddess] incessant flies; / Resolv'd to reach the high empyrean Sphere.
#*1818: w:John Keats|John Keats, s:Endymion|Endymion - Lispings empyrean will ii sometimes teach / Thine honeyed tongue.
Alternative spellings
empyreal
References
R:Webster 1913
R:Century 1914
io:empyrean
fi:empyrean
te:empyrean
vi:empyrean
zh:empyrean
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