golden age

American  

[gohl-dn eyj-] / ˈgoʊl dn eɪdʒˈ /

noun

1. the most flourishing period in the history of a nation, literature, etc.

2. Classical Mythology. the first and best of the four ages of humankind; an era of peace and innocence that finally yielded to the silver age.

3. (usually initial capital letters) a period in Latin literature, 70 b.c. to a.d. 14, in which Cicero, Catullus, Horace, Vergil, Ovid, and others wrote; the first phase of Classical Latin.

4. the period in life after middle age, traditionally characterized by wisdom, contentment, and useful leisure.

5. the age at which a person normally retires.

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golden age British  

noun

1. classical myth the first and best age of mankind, when existence was happy, prosperous, and innocent

2. the most flourishing and outstanding period, esp in the history of an art or nation

   the golden age of poetry

3. the great classical period of Latin literature, occupying approximately the 1st century _bc and represented by such writers as Cicero and Virgil

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golden age Idioms  

1. A period of prosperity or excellent achievement, as in Some consider the baroque period the golden age of choral music. The expression dates from the mid-1500s, when it was first applied to a period of classical Latin poetry.

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Etymology

Origin of golden age

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

In September 2015, when Stephen Colbert inherited CBS’ “The Late Show” from David Letterman, its first and only host, late-night television was experiencing something of a golden age.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

The French fashion house has unveiled an ode to the golden age of cinema in Los Angeles at its highly anticipated Cruise 2027 show, the first of its kind under creative director Jonathan Anderson.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Hedge funds are making a killing in the golden age of AI hardware.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

It’s hard to recall now, but the 1990s were something of a golden age in the recent history of the central bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

She’s looking back on that time as if it was her golden age; or maybe it seems that way to her because it’s better than now.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood