Age vs. Era: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Age is a period marked by specific features, events, or developments, while an era is a longer, distinct period of history.
Key Differences
An age is typically a period characterized by a dominant feature or condition, such as the Bronze Age defined by bronze use. Conversely, an era is a broader historical time frame, often marked by significant events or changes, like the Victorian Era.
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Nov 10, 2023
Ages often describe phases within broader eras; for instance, the Age of Enlightenment was part of the larger Early Modern Era. An era encompasses several ages, signifying a more extended and significant period in history.
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Nov 10, 2023
The concept of an age can be used more flexibly, referring to stages in life or development, whereas an era specifically denotes a historical period. For example, the Ice Age within the Cenozoic Era.
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Ages often mark technological or cultural phases, like the Iron Age. Eras, however, denote substantial historical epochs, such as the Renaissance Era, encompassing significant transformations in various spheres.
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Nov 10, 2023
An age can also refer to a person’s life stage or the period of a particular trend, while an era often signifies a longer, distinct period marked by a particular character or event, like the Elizabethan Era.
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Nov 10, 2023
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Comparison Chart
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Age and Era Definitions
Age
Age refers to a specific period in history.
The Stone Age was marked by the use of stone tools.
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Era
An era is a long and distinct period of history.
The Renaissance era was a time of great artistic and cultural flourishing.
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Age
It denotes a stage in the life cycle of a living being.
During the adolescent age, many experience significant growth.
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Era
It's often used to describe a substantial period in the chronology of the Earth.
The Paleozoic era saw the development of early life forms.
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Age
Age can describe a period characterized by a prevailing trend.
The Jazz Age was known for its music and cultural liberation.
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Era
Era can represent a period marked by specific characteristics or phenomena.
The Industrial Era brought about major technological advancements.
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Age
Age can refer to a period of significant development in technology or culture.
The Information Age revolutionized communication.
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Era
A period of time as reckoned from a specific date serving as the basis of its chronological system.
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Age
The length of time that a person or thing has existed
A man 23 years of age.
Wanted to know the age of the house.
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Era
A period of time characterized by particular circumstances, events, or personages
The Colonial era of US history.
The Reagan era.
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Age
The time of life when a person becomes qualified to assume certain civil and personal rights and responsibilities, usually at 18 or 21 years; legal age
Under age.
Of age.
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Oct 19, 2023
Era
(geology) A geochronologic unit of tens to hundreds of millions of years; a subdivision of an eon, and subdivided into periods.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
A period of time marked by a distinctive characteristic, achievement, or figure
The Stone Age.
The computer age.
The Elizabethan Age.
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Oct 19, 2023
Era
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.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
A period in the history of the earth, usually shorter than an epoch
The Ice Age.
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Era
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.
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Era
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.
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Era
A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
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Era
A major division of geological time; an era is usually divided into two or more periods
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Age
To cause to become old or to show the signs of becoming old
The stress of the office visibly aged the president.
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Era
It refers to a period marked by particular events or leaders.
The Napoleonic Era was dominated by Napoleon’s rule.
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Era
Era can denote a significant historical age or epoch.
The Jurassic era is well-known for its dinosaurs.
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Age
To change (the characteristics of a device) through use, especially to stabilize (an electronic device).
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Age
To become old or show signs of becoming old
Who doesn't want to age gracefully?.
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Age
To develop a certain quality of ripeness; become mature
Cheese aging at room temperature.
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Age
(countable) The whole duration of a being, whether human, animal, plant, or other kind, being alive.
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Age
(countable) The number of full years, months, days, hours, etc., that someone, or something, has been alive.
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Age
(countable) The time of life at which some particular power or capacity is understood to become vested.
The age of consent; the age of discretion
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Age
(countable) A particular period of time in history, as distinguished from others.
The golden age; the age of Pericles
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Age
(countable) A great period in the history of the Earth.
The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age; the Tithonian Age was the last in the Late Jurassic epoch
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Age
(astrology) One of the twelve divisions of a Great Year, equal to roughly 2000 years and goverened by one of the zodiacal signs; a Platonic month.
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Age
The shortest geochronologic unit, being a period of thousands to millions of years; a subdivision of an epoch (or sometimes a subepoch).
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
The right of the player to the left of the dealer to pass the first round in betting, and then to come in last or stay out; also, the player holding this position; the eldest hand.
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Age
(uncountable) That part of the duration of a being or a thing which is between its beginning and any given time; specifically the size of that part.
What is the present age of a man, or of the earth?
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Age
(uncountable) Mature age; especially, the time of life at which one attains full personal rights and capacities.
To come of age; she is now of age
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Age
(uncountable) An advanced period of life; the latter part of life; the state of being old, old age, senility; seniority.
Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age, sometimes age just shows up all by itself.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
(intransitive) To grow aged; to become old; to show marks of age.
He grew fat as he aged.
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Age
To be viewed or turn out in some way after a certain time has passed.
His prediction that we didn't stand a chance hasn't aged well, now that we've won the cup.
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Age
(transitive) To cause to grow old; to impart the characteristics of age to.
Grief ages us.
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Age
To postpone an action that would extinguish something, as a debt.
Money's a little tight right now, let's age our bills for a week or so.
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Age
To categorize by age.
One his first assignments was to age the accounts receivable.
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Age
(transitive) To indicate that a person has been alive for a certain period of time, especially a long one.
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Age
The whole duration of a being, whether animal, vegetable, or other kind; lifetime.
Mine age is as nothing before thee.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
That part of the duration of a being or a thing which is between its beginning and any given time; as, what is the present age of a man, or of the earth?
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Age
The latter part of life; an advanced period of life; seniority; state of being old.
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
Mature age; especially, the time of life at which one attains full personal rights and capacities; as, to come of age; he (or she) is of age.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
The time of life at which some particular power or capacity is understood to become vested; as, the age of consent; the age of discretion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
A particular period of time in history, as distinguished from others; as, the golden age, the age of Pericles.
Truth, in some age or other, will find her witness.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
A century; the period of one hundred years.
Fleury . . . apologizes for these five ages.
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Age
The people who live at a particular period; hence, a generation.
The way which the age follows.
Lo! where the stage, the poor, degraded stage,Holds its warped mirror to a gaping age.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
The right belonging to the player to the left of the dealer to pass the first round in betting, and then to come in last or stay out; also, the player holding this position; the eldest hand.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
To grow aged; to become old; to show marks of age; as, he grew fat as he aged.
They live one hundred and thirty years, and never age for all that.
I am aging; that is, I have a whitish, or rather a light-colored, hair here and there.
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
To cause to grow old; to impart the characteristics of age to; as, grief ages us.
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Age
An era of history having some distinctive feature;
We live in a litigious age
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Age
A time in life (usually defined in years) at which some particular qualification or power arises;
She was now of school age
Tall for his eld
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Age
A late time of life;
Old age is not for sissies
He's showing his years
Age hasn't slowed him down at all
A beard white with eld
On the brink of geezerhood
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Oct 19, 2023
Age
A prolonged period of time;
We've known each other for ages
I haven't been there for years and years
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Age
Begin to seem older; get older;
The death of his wife caused him to age fast
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Age
Grow old or older;
She aged gracefully
We age every day--what a depressing thought!
Young men senesce
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Age
It's used to denote the length of time something has existed.
The age of this tree is over a hundred years.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can an age span multiple eras?
No, an age typically falls within a single era.
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Nov 10, 2023
How long is an era compared to an age?
An era is usually longer than an age.
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Nov 10, 2023
Can the term 'age' apply to personal life stages?
Yes, it can refer to stages in a lifespan.
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Nov 10, 2023
Is an era always historical?
Primarily, though it can also refer to geological timeframes.
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Nov 10, 2023
How is "era" commonly used?
"Era" is used to denote a significant period in history characterized by notable events or features.
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Nov 10, 2023
How does "age" differ in daily use compared to "era"?
"Age" is often used for specific durations or to indicate maturity, while "era" is more about historical epochs.
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Nov 10, 2023
Can "era" refer to future periods?
Yes, it can be used to speculate about future periods with distinctive characteristics.
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Nov 10, 2023
How is "era" used in art and literature?
To classify works into significant periods, like the "Victorian Era."
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Nov 10, 2023
Can "age" imply a level of wisdom or experience?
Yes, often saying someone has "aged" implies they've gained wisdom or experience over time.
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Nov 10, 2023
What is the primary meaning of "age"?
"Age" primarily refers to the length of time someone or something has existed.
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Nov 10, 2023
Can "age" refer to historical periods?
Yes, such as the "Bronze Age," where it denotes a specific period in history.
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Nov 10, 2023
Is the term "era" specific to a particular region?
No, it can refer to time periods significant globally or within specific regions.
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Nov 10, 2023
Is "age" used in geology?
Yes, to refer to periods in the Earth's geological history, like the "Ice Age."
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Nov 10, 2023
Is "era" used in personal contexts?
Rarely; it's typically reserved for broader historical or cultural periods.
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Nov 10, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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