View synonyms for era

era

[ er-uh, eer-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

1. a period of time marked by distinctive character, events, etc.:
  The use of steam for power marked the beginning of an era.
2. Slang. a period of time in a person’s life characterized by something distinctive and noticeable, such as a particular emotional state, relationship, achievement, or interest:
  She’s started wearing all black now that she’s in her sad girl era.
  They are definitely in their flop era and could use a complete makeover.
the period of time to which anything belongs or is to be assigned:
She was born in the era of hansoms and gaslight.
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.
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.
a date or an event forming the beginning of any distinctive period:
The year 1492 marks an era in world history.
Geology. a major division of geologic time composed of a number of periods.

ERA

abbreviation for

Baseball. earned run average ( def ).
Emergency Relief Administration.
Equal Rights Amendment: proposed 27th amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender.

era

/ ˈɪərə /

noun

a period of time considered as being of a distinctive character; epoch
an extended period of time the years of which are numbered from a fixed point or event
the Christian era
a point in time, esp one beginning a new or distinctive period
the discovery of antibiotics marked an era in modern medicine
geology a major division of geological time, divided into several periods
the Mesozoic era

ERA

/ ˈiːrə /

acronym for

(in Britain) Education Reform Act: the 1988 act which established the key elements of the National Curriculum
(in the US) Equal Rights Amendment: a proposed amendment to the US Constitution enshrining equality between the sexes

era

/ îr′ə /

A division of geologic time , longer than a period and shorter than an eon.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of era¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin aera “fixed date, era, epoch (from which time is reckoned),” probably special use of Latin aera “counters,” plural of aes “piece of metal, money, brass”; akin to Gothic aiz, Old English ār ore, Sanskrit ayas “metal”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of era¹

C17: from Latin aera counters, plural of aes brass, pieces of brass money

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Synonym Study

See age.

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