eternity

[ ih-tur-ni-tee ]

noun

, plural e·ter·ni·ties.

1. infinite time; duration without beginning or end.
2. eternal existence, especially as contrasted with mortal life:

   the eternity of God.

3. Theology. the timeless state into which the soul passes at a person's death.
4. an endless or seemingly endless period of time:

   We had to wait an eternity for the check to arrive.

5. eternities, the truths or realities of life and thought that are regarded as timeless or eternal.

eternity

/ ɪˈtɜːnɪtɪ /

noun

1. endless or infinite time
2. the quality, state, or condition of being eternal
3. usually plural any of the aspects of life and thought that are considered to be timeless, esp timeless and true
4. theol the condition of timeless existence, believed by some to characterize the afterlife
5. a seemingly endless period of time

   an eternity of waiting

Other Words From

• none·terni·ty noun
• pree·terni·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of eternity¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English eternite, from Latin aeternitās; equivalent to eterne + -ity

Example Sentences

If you want to build a paradise on Earth or you want to achieve your salvation in eternity, you may go to war because you’ll feel less frightened of death and you’re part of a much greater cause.

From Nautilus

Kylie’s time under house arrest soon grows quite eventful, but it starts out with the palpable slow slog of eternity.

From Vox

We waited for what seemed like an eternity before the light was extinguished accompanied by the sound of glass shattering and a dog barking.

From Ozy

Accelerating this way meant that Santul ran about 45 seconds faster, which can feel like an eternity when running a marathon.

From FiveThirtyEight

The wizened 69-year-old, with a Gandalf-like demeanor and a do-it-yourself ethos, wants to preserve information for eternity.

From Nautilus

After what seemed a desperate eternity, a doctor shook his head.

From The Daily Beast

The Newsroom aired its final episode on Sunday, already an eternity ago in news-cycle terms.

From The Daily Beast

He rests lavishly, depicted in a marble sarcophagus that stares up for eternity at the carved depictions of his life story.

From The Daily Beast

But this is also a parody of narcissism, just a little detour to eternity.

From The Daily Beast

Finally, after an eternity—lasting maybe two seconds—I did what I usually do when faced with fear squatting in my stomach.

From The Daily Beast

The blessings of time and eternity constitute the part of the promise offered to believers, through Christ.

From Project Gutenberg

One instant in all eternity would have made just the difference between life and death to you.

From Project Gutenberg

He who wrongs a fellow-creature wrongs himself as well, and wrongs both for all eternity.

From Project Gutenberg

At the close of the supper he filled his glass, and rising, proposed to drink to the eternity of the Republic.

From Project Gutenberg

An eternity did it seem before those men returned and marched once more over his head.

From Project Gutenberg