era

¹ American  

[eer-uh, er-uh] / ˈɪər ə, ˈɛr ə /

noun

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.

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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.

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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

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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

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era Scientific  

/ îr′ə /

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

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Related Words

See age.

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

The ruling comes nine days after Hungarians voted to end Orbán's 16-year era of continuous rule.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Tesla stock trades for about 185 times earnings expected over the coming 12 months, with investors believing AI applications such as robo-taxis will usher in a new era of earnings growth.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

By the time Billy and I met, it was the era of the California shredders — Eddie Van Halen and then a lot of bad Eddie Van Halen copies.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

In both cases, it’s hard not to be impressed with how well the lavish sonics evoke the pop of a past era, which is comforting for anyone repelled by today’s computer-driven productions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

I write backward, and turn my notebook so she can see: Senobmort era eht tseb.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

Related Words

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