English
era
Era comes from Late Latin aera ‘era, epoch’, probably a special use of aera ‘counters’, plural of aes ‘money, brass’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ey-‘to burn’uncertain
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éyos‘metal, copper, bronze’uncertain
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aos‘bronze, copper’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaes‘piece of metal, money, brass’uncertain
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEaera‘era, epoch’plural of aes
- Englishearliest quotation 1963era
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ey-‘to burn’uncertain
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éyos‘metal, copper, bronze’uncertain
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aos‘bronze, copper’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaes‘piece of metal, money, brass’uncertain
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEaera‘era, epoch’plural of aes
- Englishearliest quotation 1963era
Earliest quotation: 1963, Margery Allingham, London: Chatto & Windus: “Even in an era when individuality in dress is…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- ‘to burn’
early, young, age, diet, junior, juvenile, longevity, enigma, ere, juvenal, 24 more
through Late Latin aera
Today it means
noun A time period of indeterminate length, generally more than one year.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- / era