aeon

ae·on

noun \ˈē-ən, ˈē-ˌän\

Definition of AEON

1

: an immeasurably or indefinitely long period of time : age

2

a usually eon : a very large division of geologic time usually longer than an era

b : a unit of geologic time equal to one billion years

Variants of AEON

ae·on or eon \ˈē-ən, ˈē-ˌän\

Examples of AEON

1. <it's been aeons since I saw a movie at the multiplex>
2. <glaciers that formed aeons ago>

Origin of AEON

Latin, from Greek aiōn — more at aye

First Known Use: circa 1642

Related to AEON

Synonyms

age (or eon), blue moon, coon's age, cycle, donkey's years [chiefly British], eternity, forever, long, months, moon

Related Words

infinity; lifetime

Near Antonyms

flash, instant, jiffy, minute, moment, second, shake, split second, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink; microsecond, nanosecond

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

Rhymes with AEON

paean, paeon, zein

aeon

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In Gnosticism or Manichaeism, one of the orders of spirits, or spheres of being, emanating from the godhead. The first aeon emanated directly from unmanifested divinity and was charged with divine force. Aeons increased in number and decreased in divine energy with increased remoteness from the divinity. At sufficient remoteness, error became possible and was the source of the material universe. Aeons may be viewed positively, as embodiments of the divine, or negatively, as media through which the soul must pass to reach its divine origin.

Variants of AEON

aeon or eon