ephemera

as in curiosa
things that are important or useful for only a short time; items that were not meant to have lasting value
usually plural
He has a large collection of old menus and other ephemera.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ephemera The ledgers, letters, cards, and other ephemera on display document not only what Morgan bought but also what Greene turned him on to. Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 The arts institution mined its collection of New York World’s Fair ephemera and put it all out on display to celebrate the expo’s diamond jubilee. Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2025 The main building, which sits just beyond a little church, is a warren of small rooms crammed with ephemera like wood masks, accordions, and butter rollers that owners Emanuela and Sergio Rossi have acquired over the years. Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2024 The album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across more than 15 CD and vinyl editions, all inclusive of collectible paper ephemera (some randomized). Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemera
Noun
  • The Future of Luxury Is American For decades, automotive status symbols have been dictated by a European vision of ​​ luxury: low-slung exotics that demand pristine roads and attract as much attention as possible.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The fish species are in constant flux, and this location is often dominated by exotics.
    Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But there’s much more to the apartment than a mere accumulation of objets de vertu.
    Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Crawford is an inveterate collector, a hunter-gatherer par excellence, and her home is a testament to decades spent amassing oddities and objets de vertu of every stripe.
    Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 28 June 2024
Noun
  • While most in the profession change jobs every few years for better opportunities and more pay, Olen is a rarity in a cutthroat, competitive industry.
    Tim Casey, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The fan version of Rotom will also be a rarity because the Plasma Pokemon usually makes appearances during special events.
    Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Opening on Valentine’s Day, Jacqueline Sullivan’s new show is all about cups: as cherished wedding gifts, antiques sitting in your grandmother’s curio cabinet, detritus at the garage sale, and collectibles reinvented by contemporary artists.
    Morgan Meier, Curbed, 12 Feb. 2025
  • The former became a cult curio; the latter remained unreleased until 2002.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ephemera. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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