[eer-uh, er-uh] 
| 1. | a period of time marked by distinctive character, events, etc.: The use of steam for power marked the beginning of an era. |
| 2. | the period of time to which anything belongs or is to be assigned: She was born in the era of hansoms and gaslight. |
| 3. | a system of chronologic notation reckoned from a given date: The era of the Romans was based upon the time the city of Rome was founded. |
| 4. | a point of time from which succeeding years are numbered, as at the beginning of a system of chronology: Caesar died many years before our era. |
| 5. | a date or an event forming the beginning of any distinctive period: The year 1492 marks an era in world history. |
| 6. | Geology. a major division of geologic time composed of a number of periods. |
| 1. | Also, era Baseball. earned run average. |
| 2. | Emergency Relief Administration. |
| 3. | Equal Rights Amendment: proposed 27th amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. |
| a measure of the effectiveness of a pitcher, obtained by dividing the number of earned runs scored against the pitcher by the number of innings pitched and multiplying the result by nine. A pitcher yielding three earned runs in nine innings has an earned run average of 3.00. Abbreviation: ERA, era |
| earned run average n. Baseball Abbr. ERA A measure of a pitcher's performance obtained by dividing the total of earned runs allowed by the total of innings pitched and multiplying by nine. |
| e·ra (îr'ə, ěr'ə) n.
[Late Latin aera, from Latin, counters, pl. of aes, aer-, bronze coin; see ayes- in Indo-European roots.] |
| ERA abbr.
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| era (îr'ə) Pronunciation Key
A division of geologic time, longer than a period and shorter than an eon. |
era
Synonym epoch. Webster's Unabridged makes these words almost synonymous, but "era" usually connotes a span of time rather than a point in time.
ERA
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