die Ära
era
A longer, significant period of time shaped by particular events, characteristics, or an influential person.
EXAMPLE
Die Ära Merkel hat die deutsche Politik für 16 Jahre bestimmt.
The Merkel era shaped German politics for 16 years.
die Ära
era
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Meanings
die Ära
era
In geology, one of the main divisions of Earth's history, which is in turn divided into periods.
EXAMPLE
Die Dinosaurier lebten in der Ära des Mesozoikums.
The dinosaurs lived in the Mesozoic era.
Usage tips
Register and style
'Ära' (era) is an elevated word for an important and defining period of time. It is not used for everyday time spans, but for epochs in history, politics, or culture that have special significance.
EXAMPLE
Mit der Erfindung des Internets begann eine neue Ära der Kommunikation.
With the invention of the internet, a new era of communication began.
Typical collocations
Common phrases are 'eine Ära prägen' (to shape an era), 'eine neue Ära einleiten' (to usher in a new era), or 'das Ende einer Ära' (the end of an era). An era is often named after a person or characteristic, e.g. 'die Ära der Globalisierung' (the era of globalization).
EXAMPLE
Der Fall der Berliner Mauer markierte das Ende einer Ära.
The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of an era.
Context clue
You can recognize the geological meaning from technical terms like 'Mesozoikum' (Mesozoic), 'Paläozoikum' (Paleozoic), or words like 'Erdgeschichte' (Earth's history), 'Fossilien' (fossils), and 'Dinosaurier' (dinosaurs). This usage is limited to scientific texts.
EXAMPLE
Das Mesozoikum wird auch als die Ära der Dinosaurier bezeichnet.
The Mesozoic is also referred to as the era of the dinosaurs.
Compare with
Ära vs Alter
age
Alter and Ära can both refer to a longer historical period. Alter focuses more on the overall character of a period; Ära usually emphasizes that events, characteristics, or a person shaped a significant period, often beginning with a clear turning point.
Ära
Mit dem neuen Hafen begann für die Stadt eine Ära des erfolgreichen Handels.
The new harbor marked the beginning of an era of successful trade for the city.
Alter
Das goldene Alter des Handels brachte der Stadt großen Wohlstand.
The golden age of trade brought the city great prosperity.
In real life
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