>the original use of the word was within a biological context.
>for example, the lives of fruit flies are ephemeral because
>they last for a very short time.

Actually,

The original use of words often has little to do with their present use, Professor Etymology.

And the life span of Drosophila is actually a perfectly permissible context for "ephemeral." Oddly, I've actually studied Drosophila and have never heard any real Drosophila scientist ever describe its lifespan as "ephemeral." Me, and those Drosophila scientists would either define the lifespan in days, or merely say its "short relative to XYZ."

Damn, I'm nice.

>the use of the word has expanded to describe ANYthing with a
>markedly short lifespan, eg "an ephemeral love affair"

LOL.

No. Commercials are not "Ephemeral."

>actually, this is incorrect. but it doesn't matter because i
>don't recall using the word in reference to anything remotely
>resembling a TV commercial anyway.

No, but you generally misuse words like that, mostly because you are trying to appear more intelligent than you are, but if I had a dollar for everyone I came across like you, I'd be....you get it.

>(i can produce scores of citational evidence for all of this,
>btw. i just don't expect your monkey ass to even bother
>reading it. but if you want it, i'll give it to you. remember:
>i WRITE AND EDIT DICTIONARIES for a living.)

And you misuse words for a living too.

You sound like Darnell Jefferson from 'The Program'.


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