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 : items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) originally meant to be discarded after use but that later become collectibles

Examples of ephemera in a Sentence

He has a large collection of old menus and other ephemera.

Recent Examples on the Web

Peruse personal items like his photographs, musical instruments, and handwritten letters, plus Hollywood ephemera, including original props and clothing from The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock, as well as show scripts. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026

The archive, which also includes material from the CCA’s predecessor, the Third Eye Centre, holds more than 50 years of cultural activity in Glasgow through exhibition records, photographs, posters, films, flyers and other ephemera. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Some sixteen years later, pop Bildung abounds, thanks largely to online fan communities who can weave the most obscure ephemera into epic tales of redemption. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026

Though not archaeological, the designs tapped into a related appetite for inherited craft and materials with ephemera from the past. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 16 July 2026

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