Word of the Day: Gossamer

Some things are so light and delicate that they seem not to exist. This is like a spider’s web when it is wet and shining in the sun, or something that is soft to touch and seems to have no weight. Delicacy is beautiful in a quiet way. Delicacy is fine and airy, and this is exactly what is meant by the word gossamer.

The word is also thin and transparent. It can also refer to something abstract, like something faint.

What does gossamer mean

Gossamer is used to describe something very light, thin, and delicate, sometimes even close to being transparent.

Pronunciation of gossamer

• Pronounced: GOS-uh-mer
• Phonetic spelling: /ˈɡɒs.ə.mər/
• The stress falls on the first syllable, “GOS.”

Origin of the word gossamer

The term "gossamer" has an interesting history in Middle English, where it was originally used to refer to threads or strands of spider webs floating in the air during autumn. The term is believed to have originated from the term "goose summer," which refers to a period in autumn.

The term "gossamer" has also been used to refer to anything light, delicate, and virtually weightless. The term has been used in both literal and figurative contexts.

How to use in a sentence

• The morning sun revealed a gossamer web that hung between the trees.
• She was wearing a gossamer dress that flowed in the breeze.
• There was a gossamer layer of mist over the lake in the early morning hours.
• The story was founded on a gossamer idea that seemed so delicate.

Synonyms of gossamer

• Delicate
• Sheer
• Light
• Fine
• Ethereal

Antonyms of gossamer

• Thick
• Heavy
• Dense
• Solid
• Opaque