ephemera

noun

ephem·​era i-ˈfe-mə-rə How to pronounce ephemera (audio)
-ˈfem-rə
plural ephemera also ephemerae i-ˈfe-mə-rē How to pronounce ephemera (audio)
-ˈfem-rē
 or ephemeras
Synonyms of ephemera
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To the shoppers at my estate sale, a random piece of strangers’ ephemera not worth a dollar. — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 And Trader Sam’s remains full of absurdities — spend some time just soaking up the puns and ephemera that dot the walls. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026 In the process of turning the house into a museum, countless artifacts, photos, and personal ephemera were uncovered, painting a vivid picture of the artist’s life at home. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026 An exhibition last year of drawings and ephemera from the making of the Fox Trot Carousel reminded people about the carousel, Lusk said. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ephemera

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek ephēmera, neuter plural of ephēmeros

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ephemera was in 1650

Rhymes for ephemera

See All Rhymes for ephemera

Browse Nearby Words

ephedrine
ephemera
ephemeral
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemera. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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