gossamer

English
WOTD – 19 January 2006

Etymology

From Middle English gossomer, from gos (“goose”) + somer (“summer”).

Pronunciation

Noun

gossamer (countable and uncountable, plural gossamers)

  1. A fine film or strand as of cobwebs, floating in the air or caught on bushes, etc.
  2. A soft, sheer fabric.
  3. Anything delicate, light and flimsy.

Derived terms
  • gossamery (adjective)
  • gossamer-thin (adjective)

Translations
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Translations to be checked

Adjective

gossamer (comparative more gossamer, superlative most gossamer)

  1. Tenuous, light, filmy or delicate.
    • (Can we date this quote by Thomas Bailey Aldrich?)
    The heaven was spangled with tremulous stars, and at the horizon the clouds hung down in gossamer folds—God's robe trailing in the sea!
    • 1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
      He walked. To the corner of Hamilton Place and Picadilly, and there stayed for a while, for it is a romantic station by night. The vague and careless rain looked like threads of gossamer silver passing across the light of the arc-lamps.

Synonyms

Translations
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