era
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a long period of history that is different from others because of a specific event or person.
a major division of time that is a chronological stage in history, often characterized by a particular person, event, or social condition.
Simple“The invention of the steam engine marked the beginning of a new industrial era.”
In context“Historians often debate the exact moment that the Victorian era transitioned into the modern age of technology and global conflict.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a very long period of time, lasting millions of years, used to describe the history of the Earth.
a major division of geological time, smaller than an eon and larger than a period, typically spanning hundreds of millions of years.
Simple“Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era, which lasted for about 180 million years.”
In context“The Paleozoic era is characterized by the rapid diversification of marine life and the eventual colonization of land by plants and animals.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
a time in your life when you are very interested in a specific thing or behave in a certain way.
a distinct, often temporary phase in an individual's life defined by a specific aesthetic, interest, or lifestyle choice.
Simple“I went through a big jazz era in college where I only listened to old records.”
In context“Social media trends have popularized the concept of entering a 'villain era' or a 'healing era' to describe shifts in personal priorities.”
Usage modern era
“Like so many of my favourite PS3-era seven-out-of-tens, The Sinking City 2 is a pulpy action horror.”
“And Goodman’s work goes on in the era of Ukraine and Gaza, and it looks like harder, lonelier work than ever.”