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

This exhibition of photographs, ephemera and historical film footage will highlight the key moments in the history of the museum. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026

Betty Boop is just one of several characters, books, recordings and ephemera entering the public domain January 1, 2026. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026

For the most part, the resource library is centered on Japanese ephemera, more focused on design than fashion — there are books on typography, photography, textiles, and ceramics along with architecture magazines, museum-exhibition catalogues, and advertising manuals. —Emma Orlow, Curbed, 19 Dec. 2025

As a classics student at Harvard, Thoreau was no doubt familiar with the ancient Roman ephemera of Ptolemy—charts tracking the movement of astronomical objects over time. —Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 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