era
era — noun
1. a long stretch of history that has its own special character, shaped by the even
a long stretch of history that has its own special character, shaped by the events, people, or developments happening during it
The Victorian era in Britain was known for strict social rules and rapid industrial growth.
era named after a ruler (Victorian era)
Feng's grandfather often talked about the era before television and the internet existed.
This painting comes from an era when most artists focused on religious subjects.
The jazz era of the 1920s brought new music styles to cities around the world.
- age
slightly narrower in scope — often used for a period defined by a single dominant figure or force, e.g. the age of Shakespeare
- period
more neutral and flexible — can be shorter or less historically weighty than an era
- epoch
more formal or technical; in geology it is a subdivision of a period, but in general use it highlights a striking new beginning
文法句型
era of + noun
era when/in which + clause
用法筆記
Often paired with a proper name or key feature that defines the period, e.g. the Elizabethan era, the Cold War era, the digital era.
常見錯誤
2. a moment in history when major changes begin, so that life or a situation from t
a moment in history when major changes begin, so that life or a situation from that point on feels very different from before
The peace agreement marked a new era for the war-torn region.
new era — collocation for turning points
Hamza believed that space exploration would open a whole new era for humanity.
For the Okonkwo family, moving to Canada started an era of fresh opportunities.
The invention of the smartphone began an era when people could connect from almost anywhere.
文法句型
a/an + adjective + era
era of + noun
用法筆記
Almost always appears with an adjective like new, whole new, different, or bright. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense emphasises a sharp break with the past, not simply a stretch of years with a given character.
常見錯誤
3. one of the largest divisions of time used in the study of the earth's history, c
one of the largest divisions of time used in the study of the earth's history, covering hundreds of millions of years, and made up of shorter units called periods
The Mesozoic era is known as the age of the dinosaurs.
proper name + era — standard geological naming
Scientists study rock layers to understand what happened during each geological era.
The Paleozoic era ended with the largest extinction event in the earth's history.
Indra learned in her geology class that the current era is called the Cenozoic.
文法句型
the + [name] + era
用法筆記
In geology, the hierarchy from largest to smallest is: eon → era → period → epoch. Common named eras include the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. Unlike sense 1, this sense is not used with descriptive modifiers (a peaceful era).