Eternity
/ɪˈtɜrnɪti/
nounB2
Definition
Eternity is the idea of endless time, something that lasts forever without stopping. People often use it to talk about time that never ends, like life after death or the universe continuing always.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Endless or infinite time
- •The idea of eternity is hard to imagine because it never ends.
- •Some people believe the soul lives for eternity.
- •The stars seem to shine for eternity in the night sky.
A very long, seemingly endless period
- •Waiting for the bus felt like an eternity.
- •The movie was so boring it felt like an eternity.
- •They talked for an eternity about their plans.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'eternity' like 'forever' (A2 word), but even bigger—no end at all, no matter how long you wait
- ✓Picture a circle with no start or end, going on and on without stopping
- ✓It's the feeling when you wait for something important and it seems like time will never finish
- ✓Sounds like 'eat-TERN-ity' → imagine eating a meal that never ends, always more food coming
- ✓Think of stories about immortal beings or endless love that lasts through all time
- ✓NOT like 'long time' (which has an end), eternity means no end at all
- ✓NOT like 'infinite' (which can mean endless space or numbers), eternity is specifically about endless time
Try Other Words
- •Forever: always, without end (Use in casual or emotional contexts)
- •Infinity: endless amount or space (Use when talking about endless numbers or space, not just time)
- •Perpetuity: continuing forever (Use in formal or legal contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'eter-' (from Greek 'aeternus' meaning endless) + suffix '-nity' (like in 'eternity' to form a noun)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'aeternitas,' meaning endless or everlasting time
- •Historical development: Used since ancient times to describe endless time or life after death
- •Modern usage: Used in religion, poetry, and philosophy to talk about infinite time or life beyond death
Reflect & Connect
•How do different cultures or religions imagine eternity?
•Can you think of a moment in your life that felt like eternity? Why did it feel that way?
Fill in the blanks
1.People often think about eternity when they consider what happens after ___.
2.The night sky looks like it goes on for eternity because it has no ___.
3.Waiting for the test results felt like an eternity because of the ___.
4.Unlike a long time, eternity means there is no ___ at all.
5.The story about eternal love describes feelings that last for ___.
6.In poems, eternity is often used to show something that never ___.
7.Some believe the soul lives in eternity, meaning it never ___ or ends.