Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Era?

\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}.
\ The era in use in all Christian countries, which was intended to commence with the birth of Christ. The era as now established was first used by Dionysius Exiguus (died about 540), who placed the birth of Christ on the 25th of December in the year of Rome 754, which year he counted as 1 a. d. This date for Christ's birth is now generally thought to be about four years too late.