gossamer
UK[ˈɡɒsəmə]US[ˈɡɑːsəmər]
n
A very light, thin, soft cloth
n
A film of cobwebs floating in the air or spread over grass
n
Something extremely light, delicate, or insubstantial
Etymology
The word 'gossamer' originates from Middle English 'gosesomer', a compound of 'gos' (goose) and 'somer' (summer). It literally meant "goose summer," referring to St. Martin's summer, a period of mild weather in late autumn when geese were traditionally eaten. This time of year is also associated with the appearance of fine spider webs. The semantic link flows from the specific seasonal phenomenon to the delicate substance found then, and finally broadens to describe anything of extreme lightness and delicacy. The modern spelling and pronunciation have simplified from the original compound, cementing its status as an unsegmentable lexical unit.
Analysis
The word is a simplex. It is a loanword from Middle English, where it functioned as a single semantic unit.
Examples
The bride's veil was made of the finest gossamer.
Morning dew clung to the gossamer spread across the garden.
His plan was built on gossamer, with no solid foundation.