golden age

American  

[gohl-dn eyj-] / ˈgoʊl dn eɪdʒˈ /

noun

golden ages plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• golden ages
  plural

Etymology

Origin of golden age

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

At its best, conservatism doesn’t try to freeze the status quo or move us back to some imagined golden age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

The glamor of air travel’s golden age mingles with the glow of Hollywood.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

One hundred roses and a cake will be placed at the site, a symbol of Hollywood's golden age and a popular tourist hotspot.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

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 Bureau talks about this golden age of humanity before the genetic manipulations in which everyone was genetically pure and everything was peaceful,” Nita says.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth