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era

era

14 4.4
A long part of Earth's history used by geologists
  • noun
  • /ˈɪərə/
  • Specialized
: era
  • The geological history of Earth is divided into several major eras, including the Mesozoic and Paleozoic.
  • geological era
  • era ended
  • era saw

Let me tell you, I went to fashion school in the Jurassic era, OK?

Examples

  • Supergirl's Cold War era difference from her WWII-era Golden Age predecessors is apparent even in her origin story.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Progressive Japanese of the Meiji era admired not only Western technology but also modern Western ideas.

    Academic text (1994)
  • We call the current era the matter era.

  • What other historical era would I have lived in?

  • If you wanted a job in the industrial era, you needed to be near the factories.

  • The crisis next hit Russia, where the Yeltsin era was coming to an end.

    Academic text (1999)
  • You know, as recently as the Victorian era, you had Victorian pregnancy corsets.

  • We're seeing a reversal of the depression-era migration from the Dust Bowl to California.

    Blog text (2)
  • The Orthodox Church, freed from its Soviet-era restrictions, also has plans for Chersonesos.

    Academic text (2002)
  • The Romantic era was, to an extent, a remake of the Heroic Age, minus most of the bloodshed.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

geological era
vsera
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A long time in Earth's history that lasts many millions of years

is the shorter form that omits the descriptive word

Idioms

To show or announce the start of a big change

Compounds

19 3.1

The recent period of history from the Industrial Revolution to today

17 4.3

An important time that finishes and many people remember

The period in Britain when Queen Victoria ruled, 1837 to 1901

3 7.4

A time in the United States from 1920 to 1933 when alcohol was illegal

A time starting at Jesus's birth that people use for AD or CE dates

Mesozoic era
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A time about 230 to 63 million years ago when dinosaurs lived and early mammals and birds appeared

1 6.6

The years 1811 to 1820 in Britain when the prince ruled because the king was ill

Period after the Civil War when southern states rejoin the United States and laws protect former slaves

1 4.6

The years of history starting at year one of the calendar now used in many countries

Cenozoic era
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A recent time in Earth's history since about 66 million years ago when mammals and birds became the main animals

geological era
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A long time in Earth's history that lasts many millions of years

A period in English history under Queen Elizabeth I when writing and plays become very famous

1 8.1

A period in Europe from 1600 to 1750 when art, buildings, and music are dramatic and very decorated

Paleozoic era
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A long time in Earth's past when many new animals and plants first appear

assholocene era
  • Offensive
9.9

A rude slang name for the present time that shows how people harm the planet

How Long

eon
  • Specialized
1 8.2
geologic time
  • Specialized
3 7.3
era
  • Specialized
14 4.4
epoch
12 7.0
century
∞ 1.0
year
835 1.0
moment
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

era singular
eras plural

Etymology

Era comes from the Latin word aera, which is linked to aes meaning 'bronze' or 'money'; people once used small bronze markers to count and mark years, so aera came to mean a fixed time. That's why a geological era is a large, named division of Earth's history.