empyrean
Say it: em-pih-REE-un /ˌɛmpaɪˈriːən/ · noun
What “empyrean” means
The highest heaven, or the sky in poetry.
More precisely: The highest heaven; the sky, poetically.
Example: “Paragliding above the coast, I felt like I was floating in the empyrean.”
When to use it
In poetry or grand descriptions, for the heavens high above the ordinary world.
Similar words
heavens, firmament, sky
Where it comes from
Greek empurios 'fiery', the realm of pure fire in ancient cosmology.
Quick check
A poet imagines rising beyond the clouds into the highest heaven. What might they call that realm?
the empyrean or the horizon?
Show the answer
the empyrean
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