era

1 of 2

noun

ˈer-ə How to pronounce era (audio)
ˈe-rə,
ˈir-ə How to pronounce era (audio)
Synonyms of eranext
1
a
: a fixed point in time from which a series of years is reckoned
b
: a memorable or important date or event
especially : one that begins a new period in the history of a person or thing
2
: a system of chronological notation computed from a given date as basis
3
a
: a period identified by some prominent figure or characteristic feature
the era of the horse and buggy
b
: a stage in development (as of a person or thing)
c
: a large division of geologic time usually shorter than an eon
Paleozoic era

ERA

2 of 2

abbreviation

1
earned run average
2
Equal Rights Amendment

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for era

period, epoch, era, age mean a division of time.

period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Examples of era in a Sentence

Noun the era of the horse and buggy We're just now entering an era of great prosperity. His death marks the end of an era.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Office conversions are hard—retail, less so For a moment in the early post-pandemic era, offices seemed like the magic bullet to solve the housing shortage. —Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024 The book explores the basketball journey and life lessons of a legendary player who led Sacramento to the brink of an NBA championship during the golden era of Kings basketball. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, San Carlos Apache College in Arizona has faced the unique challenge of coming of age during the pandemic era. —Matt Krupnick, The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024 Breaking the stalemate Repeatedly in recent years, strategists for one party or the other have seized on demographic trends to proclaim that a new era of dominance for their side was right around the corner. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024 Commercial companies had a bit more leeway to innovate in the post-Columbia era, Hale and Reisman acknowledged. —Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024 Her fashions during that era were all about an edgy, punk-y vibe. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2024 Think back to 1964's ELIZA digital therapist, or other designs of that era. —John Werner, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024 In an era where audiences have virtually limitless entertainment options at their fingertips, a stadium can no longer just be a venue to sit in a seat and watch a match. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'era.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Late Latin aera, from Latin, counters, plural of aer-, aes copper, money — more at ore

First Known Use

Noun

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of era was in 1615

Phrases Containing era

Dictionary Entries Near era

Er

era

ERA

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Era.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/era. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

era

noun
ˈir-ə How to pronounce era (audio) ˈer-ə How to pronounce era (audio)
ˈē-rə
1
: a period of time beginning with some special date or event
the Christian era
2
: an important or outstanding period of history
the Revolutionary era
3
: one of the five major divisions of geologic time
Paleozoic era

More from Merriam-Webster on era

Nglish: Translation of era for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of era for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about era

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