ephemera

noun

ephem·​era i-ˈfe-mə-rə How to pronounce ephemera (audio)
-ˈfem-rə
plural ephemera also ephemerae i-ˈfe-mə-rē How to pronounce ephemera (audio)
-ˈfem-rē
or ephemeras
1
: something of no lasting significance
usually used in plural
2
ephemera plural : paper items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles

Examples of ephemera in a Sentence

He has a large collection of old menus and other ephemera.
Recent Examples on the Web The presentation features more than 40 paintings and 10 serigraphs in her distinct abstract style, but also a variety of earlier landscape watercolors, sumi ink drawings, figurative paintings, ephemera, and formative works from as early as 1938. Chadd Scott, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 It will be sold with a collection of letters, documents, and other historic ephemera. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 Here, visitors can enjoy aquarium exhibits and wildlife, plus ephemera from the Antarctic exhibitions of Prince Albert I. Nearby, the Prince’s Palace is a highlight for day trippers and visitors alike. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Ours is owned by Marvin Smith, who runs it out of a walk-up window at a red trolley surrounded by toy cars and random ephemera. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 6 Feb. 2024 The show takes a tour through internet culture, with comedians riffing on TikTok posts, influencers and other online ephemera. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2024 This third Archives is also sprinkled with ephemera. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2023 The inaugural exhibition, entitled From the Bronx to the Beach, will showcase rare vintage ephemera from Hip Hop’s first NYC DJ, Kool Herc, to Miami’s own pioneer Uncle Luke. Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Over 100 chronologically advancing decks, their widely varied graphics, images sourced from over 40 photographers in multiple decades, and spin-off ephemera (such as zines and decals) illustrate this rise of skateboarding not only as an athletic discipline but also as an aspirational lifestyle. Nick Remsen, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ephemera.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek ephēmera, neuter plural of ephēmeros

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ephemera was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near ephemera

Cite this Entry

“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemera. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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