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
These glassy encasements elevated each itty-bitty snapshot of kitschy urban ephemera (a taxi cab, a bodega coffee cup, a slice of pizza, a smiley-face plastic shopping bag) to a surprising elegance—undercut with impish humor.
—
Marina Harss, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025
The National Hangeul Museum holds a collection of materials and ephemera, and focuses on the Korean writing system and historical script of Hangeul.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 3 Feb. 2025
The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across more than 15 physical variants of the album across CD and vinyl editions, many including collectible ephemera (some randomized).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2024
Uh uh, method dressing is forever, at least for Timothée Chalamet—until the next role-of-a-lifetime comes along, or the parcels of Bob Dylan ephemera pillaged from the online auction houses stop coming through the young actor’s door that is.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
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Marina Harss, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025
The National Hangeul Museum holds a collection of materials and ephemera, and focuses on the Korean writing system and historical script of Hangeul.
—Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 3 Feb. 2025
The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across more than 15 physical variants of the album across CD and vinyl editions, many including collectible ephemera (some randomized).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2024
Uh uh, method dressing is forever, at least for Timothée Chalamet—until the next role-of-a-lifetime comes along, or the parcels of Bob Dylan ephemera pillaged from the online auction houses stop coming through the young actor’s door that is.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Cite this Entry
“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemera. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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