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 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

Taken together, these masterworks mirror Prieto’s own process, which often uses chance as a springboard for composition and which harnesses ephemera — memories, scents, poems, or even architectural fragments — to create new work. — Jill Singer, Curbed, 14 Sep. 2026

This show, which comprises some 120 paintings, works on paper, and personal ephemera, at last acknowledges her place in the pantheon. — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Iron gates wrought into patterns open into a small courtyard filled with metal ephemera, which leads to a door camouflaged by a mural of a bull and a jester. — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

The immersive project transformed the artwork, studio ephemera and music of Kid A and Amnesiac into a physical audiovisual experience, with a 75-minute film at its center. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 7 Sep. 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