What does "era" mean?
A time period of indeterminate length, generally more than one year.
Era
/ˈɪə.ɹə/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A time period of indeterminate length, generally more than one year.
- Grammar: era is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: epoch, age, period, aeon.
- Useful contrasts: instant, moment, short term.
- Usage evidence: The revolution ushered in a new era.
How to use "era"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "era" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "era" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "era" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "era" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "era" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "epoch" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "era", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A time period of indeterminate length, generally more than one year.
"Even in an era when individuality in dress is a cult, his clothes were noticeable. He was wearing a hard hat of the low round kind favoured by hunting men, and with it a black duffle-coat lined with white."
- 2 Initialism of Earth rotation angle (the rotation of the Earth from the Celestial Intermediate Origin that has no instantaneous motion along the equator.) abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
- 3 (baseball) a measure of a pitcher's effectiveness; calculated as the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher for every nine innings pitched wordnet
- 4 A geochronologic unit of tens to hundreds of millions of years; a subdivision of an eon, and subdivided into periods.
- 5 Initialism of earned run average, a baseball statistic. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
"Taylor, listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, went 0-1 with a 1.01 ERA in 15 games for Birmingham. He struck out 37 in 26 2/3 innings."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a major division of geological time; an era is usually divided into two or more periods wordnet
- 7 An indefinite period of time in one’s life characterized by a particular interest. informal
- 8 Initialism of electrically reconfigurable array. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
- 9 a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event wordnet
- 10 Initialism of explosive reactive armor. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
- 11 Initialism of engine room artificer, a Royal Navy position. UK, abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
Slang
- 1 A period of personal style or identity phase. slang, social-media, 2020s
"I am in my fitness era."
Proper Noun
- 1 Initialism of European Railway Agency, called today the European Union Agency for Railways. European-Union, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 2 Initialism of Equal Rights Amendment, a proposed amendment to the US Constitution. US, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
"ERA meant the equality of women, to those who urgently sought it, to those who abhorred it, and to those who found it obvious if not entirely redundant."
Example
"The revolution ushered in a new era."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "era"?
Common synonyms include: epoch, age, period, aeon, aeons, age.
How do you use "era" in a sentence?
The revolution ushered in a new era.
How do you pronounce "era"?
Pronounced /ˈɪə.ɹə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin aera.