ephemera

noun

ephem·​era i-ˈfe-mə-rə 

-ˈfem-rə

plural ephemera also ephemerae i-ˈfe-mə-rē 

-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

Featuring more than 100 works alongside ephemera documenting her activism and teaching work, the exhibition provides a deeper understanding of her pioneering and influential work at the intersection of race, gender, class and ecology. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

This new volume promises to give us more of the same, complete with photographs, letters, journal entries, and other ephemera, pasted right in. —Literary Hub july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025

And that sight, of someone discovering their true identity, is so beautiful: love can be built on such ephemera, in the theatre. —Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 22 June 2025

Best known as a savvy drummer deeply versed in a broad swath of pre-World War II idioms like ragtime, Delta blues, and swing, Devine is at home surrounded by the artifacts and ephemera that captured the sounds and spirit of that era. —Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek ephēmera, neuter plural of ephēmeros

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ephemera

• femora