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
His winning project resembles a scrapbook in its inclusion of such ephemera as handwritten notes and family snapshots, placed along photos by Sobekwa.
—
News Desk, Artforum, 19 May 2025
This poignant and revelatory ephemera from Quintana’s life is among the 240 linear feet of joint archives of her writer parents, Didion and John Gregory Dunne, now available for viewing at the New York Public Library.
—Lauren Christensen, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Billy Possum lived on during Taft’s presidency in songs and postcards—ephemera that did not depend on a child’s affection—and even made a brief return to politics.
—Howard Dorre, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
The tour of the Zorn House interior reveals all sorts of surprises, including the Great Room that’s decorated with ephemera from his around-the-world travels, including a cabinet with Etrusian artifacts.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
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News Desk, Artforum, 19 May 2025
This poignant and revelatory ephemera from Quintana’s life is among the 240 linear feet of joint archives of her writer parents, Didion and John Gregory Dunne, now available for viewing at the New York Public Library.
—Lauren Christensen, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Billy Possum lived on during Taft’s presidency in songs and postcards—ephemera that did not depend on a child’s affection—and even made a brief return to politics.
—Howard Dorre, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
The tour of the Zorn House interior reveals all sorts of surprises, including the Great Room that’s decorated with ephemera from his around-the-world travels, including a cabinet with Etrusian artifacts.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 1 May 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 30 May. 2025.
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