E"ra (?), n.; pl.
Eras (#). [LL. aera an era, in earlier usage, the items of an account, counters, pl. of
aes, aeris, brass, money. See Ore.]
1. A
fixed point of time, usually an epoch, from which a
series of years is reckoned.
The foundation of Solomon's
temple is conjectured by Ideler to have been an
era.
R. S. Poole. 2. A period of time reckoned from some particular date or epoch; a succession of years dating from some important event; as, the era of Alexander; the era of Christ, or
the Christian era (see under Christian).
The first century of our era.
M. Arnold. 3. A period of time in which
a new order
of things prevails; a signal stage of history; an epoch.
Painting may
truly be said to have
opened the new era of culture.
J. A. Symonds. Syn. --
Epoch; time; date; period; age; dispensation. See Epoch.
Hear it pronounced