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
Over the course of his few years in New York–cancer would take his life at 39–Fisher would amass an enormous collection of artwork and ephemera from the now iconic individuals passing through his orbit.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
In addition to the autopsy reports, the collection of documents includes unpublished medical notes, letters and ephemera, such as tickets to McKinley’s funeral service.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024
Lacey Flint, the archivist and chief curator of the Explorers Club, leads us to a room filled with bound volumes of research material and ephemera from the club’s history and presents a few highlights.
—Vulture, 5 Jan. 2024
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
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
In addition to the autopsy reports, the collection of documents includes unpublished medical notes, letters and ephemera, such as tickets to McKinley’s funeral service.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024
Lacey Flint, the archivist and chief curator of the Explorers Club, leads us to a room filled with bound volumes of research material and ephemera from the club’s history and presents a few highlights.
—Vulture, 5 Jan. 2024
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
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.
Dictionary Entries Near ephemera
Cite this Entry
“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemera. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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