ephemera

[ ih-fem-er-uh ]

noun

, plural e·phem·er·as, e·phem·er·ae [ih-, fem, -, uh, -ree]

1. a plural of ephemeron.
2. an ephemerid.

ephemera

/ ɪˈfɛmərə /

noun

1. a mayfly, esp one of the genus Ephemera
2. something transitory or short-lived
3. functioning as plural a class of collectable items not originally intended to last for more than a short time, such as tickets, posters, postcards, or labels
4. a plural of ephemeron

Word History and Origins

Origin of ephemera¹

1670–80; < Greek ephḗmera, neuter plural of ephḗmeros, taken as singular; ephemeral

Word History and Origins

Origin of ephemera¹

C16; see ephemeral

Example Sentences

One might not immediately make the connection between data and air, but Ouchhh collective’s “AI Data Portal of Los Angeles,” an immersive tunnel of LED screens broadcasting an abstract amalgamation of Excel spreadsheets, documents, graphs and other digital ephemera, reimagines the city’s cloud data as thousands of tiny colored beads.

From Los Angeles Times

On the walls, there was plenty of Lady Gaga ephemera, specifically from Joanne, Lady Gaga’s fifth album, which is a tribute to her aunt, Joe’s late sister Joanne Stefani Germanotta, who died at age 19 from lupus.

From Slate

In order for the actors to proceed to the next scene, we need to get them a message crafted from the ephemera that they have dropped.

From Los Angeles Times

Beginning Aug. 16, guests will be able to check out a box filled with instructions and ephemera, such as magnifying glasses, and explore a fanciful tale.

From Los Angeles Times

Through a collection of personal narratives and visual ephemera from everyday people in L.A.,

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• collectibles