Jump To:

• era
  era
• ERA
  ERA

  abbreviation

  earned run average.

Trivia Time

During which geologic period of the Mesozoic era did dinosaurs first appear?

Test Your Knowledge

era

¹ American  

[eer-uh, er-uh] / ˈɪər ə, ˈɛr ə /

noun

• eras
  plural

1. 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.

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.

---

ERA ² American  

abbreviation

1. 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 gender.

---

era ¹ British  

/ ˈɪərə /

noun

1. a period of time considered as being of a distinctive character; epoch

2. an extended period of time the years of which are numbered from a fixed point or event

   the Christian era

3. a point in time, esp one beginning a new or distinctive period

   the discovery of antibiotics marked an era in modern medicine

4. geology a major division of geological time, divided into several periods

   the Mesozoic era

---

ERA ² British  

/ ˈiːrə /

acronym

1. (in Britain) Education Reform Act: the 1988 act which established the key elements of the National Curriculum

2. (in the US) Equal Rights Amendment: a proposed amendment to the US Constitution enshrining equality between the sexes

---

era Scientific  

/ îr′ə /

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

---

Synonym Usage

See age.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• eras
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of era

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”

---

Explanation

An era is a period of time distinguished by a particular character. “It was the Eisenhower era, when people were more willing to serve in the military.” Era has a couple of great things about it. First, it is used whenever you talk about dinosaurs to describe the various geologic time periods, for instance the Paleozoic Era, or the Jurassic Era. Second, it is a word beloved of crossword puzzle editors, so if you’re looking for a three-letter word for an age, look no further. Third, it sometimes confuses people who are talking about the ERA, or the Equal Rights Amendment, a vestige of the era of political feminism.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

era ERA eras

They helped pioneer a form of journalism that would come to define an entirely new era of publishing.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

Some players mark an era, and others change a national team for good.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

U.S. stock indexes surged on hope that legislative gridlock, an AI slowdown and checks on presidential power will mark the start of a new era for the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

Luna’s tenure as sheriff will now stretch from the late COVID-19 era through the 2028 Summer Olympics and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

A new era of espionage was on the horizon.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

He pitched in 75 games this year, posting a 3.12 ERA while leading the National League with 87 innings out of the bullpen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

All told, the Brewers’ bullpen has been nearly untouchable, putting up a 1.41 ERA during the postseason.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

Peralta was an unmitigated disaster during his stint with the New York Mets earlier this year, posting a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Glasnow, 33, has pitched in 17 postseason games for Tampa Bay and the Dodgers, going 2-6 with a 4.27 ERA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

At the end of the season, The Milwaukee Journal published the averages of all Major League players, and since this pitcher hadn’t played again, his ERA was 135, as I had calculated.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

The Hall-Héroult production process—named for the Ohioan and a young Frenchman who simultaneously made the discovery—ushered in new eras in aviation, electronics, construction, consumer packaging and warfare.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

Had the band come about during one of Dangerfield’s favorite eras of music, the ’50s and ’60s — there would likely have been rooms in which they weren’t welcomed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Despite these fluctuations, Musk has solidly established himself as the wealthiest person in the world, both now and compared to previous eras.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

This is all about opinions and eras, but his record and longevity alone informs you that he is an England great.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

If you put The Lexus and the Olive Tree and this book together, the broad historical argument you end up with is that there have been three great eras of globalization.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• age
• cycle
• day
• generation
• stage
• term
• time

---