eternity

== English == === Alternative forms === æternity (archaic) æternitie (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English eternyte, from Old French eternité, from Latin aeternitās. Displaced native Old English ēcnes. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ɪˈtɜː.nə.ti/ (US) enPR: ĭ-tûrʹnĭ-tē, IPA(key): /ɪˈtɝnɪti/ === Noun === eternity (countable and uncountable, plural eternities) (uncountable) Existence without end, infinite time. (uncountable, philosophy, theology) Existence outside of time. (countable) A period of time which extends infinitely far into the future. (metaphysical) The remainder of time that elapses after death. (informal, hyperbolic) A comparatively long time. ==== Usage notes ==== In the sense "a comparatively long time", eternity is always used with the indefinite article (an eternity). In philosophy, the common use of eternity to refer to an infinite time is considered incorrect, eternity referring to existence outside of time; existence within time but of an infinite temporal duration is called everlastingness or sempiternity ==== Synonyms ==== (existence outside of time): atemporality, eternal now, extratemporality; see also Thesaurus:timelessness (infinite time): all time, perpetuity; see also Thesaurus:eternity (time extending infinitely far into the future): evermore, forever, foreverhood (remainder of time that elapses after death): afterlife; see also Thesaurus:life after death (comparatively long time): an age, ages, centuries, donkey's years, hours, a lifetime, years, yonks; see also Thesaurus:eon ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “existence outside of time”): sempiternity ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== eternal eternize ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === entierty, entirety, tenerity