gossamer
Delicate floating filaments
Gossamer is the fine, filmy cobweb that floats in calm air or spreads across grass and bushes, especially in autumn.
By extension, gossamer describes anything delicate, light, or insubstantial: gossamer fabric, gossamer wings, a gossamer thread of hope.
The word evokes fragility and ethereal beauty—something barely there, easily torn or dispersed.
Easily broken or damaged
- wispyThin and insubstantial
- fineAcceptable in quality
- sheerAbsolute; also diaphanous
- filmyThin and translucent
gauzy · diaphanous · feathery · airy · tenuous · flimsy · insubstantial · dainty
Large-eyed flying predator
- butterflyWinged insect from caterpillar
- fairyTiny winged magical creature
- insectSix-legged invertebrate
- membraneThin tissue sheet
veined · iridescent · translucent · flutter · delicate · lacewing · mayfly · damselfly
Web-spinning arachnid
- silkFine woven insect fiber
- cobwebAbandoned spider silk
- webInterwoven filament structure
- threadFiber for stitching
spinneret · orb-weaver · arachnid · filament · strand · dewdrops · lattice · spiral
Delicate transparent textile
- tulleFine net fabric
- organzaSheer, crisp dress fabric
- voileSheer, lightweight textile
- gauzeOpen-weave medical fabric
silk · muslin · georgette · netting · mesh · lace · batiste · crepe
Seemingly not earthly
- dreamlikeHazy and fantastical
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- phantasmalLike an apparition
celestial · mystical · supernatural · unearthly · transcendent · magical · enchanted · fairylike
fragile
Easily broken or damaged
filmy · gauzy · diaphanous · feathery · airy · tenuous · flimsy · insubstantial · dainty · silken
dragonfly
Large-eyed flying predator
- butterflyWinged insect from caterpillar
- fairyTiny winged magical creature
- insectSix-legged invertebrate
membrane · veined · iridescent · translucent · flutter · delicate · lacewing · mayfly · damselfly · cicada
spider
Web-spinning arachnid
thread · spinneret · orb-weaver · arachnid · filament · strand · dewdrops · lattice · spiral · radial
chiffon
Delicate transparent textile
gauze · silk · muslin · georgette · netting · mesh · lace · batiste · crepe · veiling
otherworldly
Seemingly not earthly
phantasmal · celestial · mystical · supernatural · unearthly · transcendent · magical · enchanted · fairylike · sylph
- spider silkcobweb, spinnerets, silk gland
- Delicate Thingsbutterfly wing, spider web, bubble, soap bubble, eggshell
- Fairylandfairy, pixie, sprite, elf, fae
- delicatedelicate, fragile, dainty, frail, tender
- Etherealwisp, wisps, vapor, mist, haze
- lightweightfeatherweight, flyweight, bantamweight, strawweight, ultralight
- gossamer wingsThin translucent flight structures