golden age

[gohl-dn eyj-]

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.

golden age

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of golden age¹

First recorded in 1545–55

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

It’s tempting to think of the network era – those decades in the 20th century when CBS, NBC and ABC dominated television – as a golden age of independent broadcasting and free expression.

From Salon

She had a six-decade long career, rising to fame during the golden age of Italian cinema, and was directed by greats such as Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti.

From BBC

He said the US was living through a golden age and repeated his much-disputed claim that he had personally ended seven wars, something he argued merited a Nobel Peace Prize.

From BBC

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the two nations were "building a golden age of nuclear" that would put them at the "forefront of global innovation".

From BBC

Lots of bumps on the road to the golden age of prosperity.

From Los Angeles Times