eternity

noun eternities · æternitie · æternity

1. uncountable Existence without end, infinite time. Eternity has generally been considered as divisible into two parts; which have been termed, eternity a parte ante, and eternity a parte post: that is, in plain English, that eternity which is past, and that eternity which is to come.

   Similar: all time

2. uncountable Existence outside of time. We sometimes speak of eternity in contradistinction to time; and often say, "through time and into eternity;" and again "from eternity to eternity," which is simply another form of expressing the same idea, and "pass through time into eternity." in other words, time is a short period allotted to man

   Similar: atemporality

3. countable A period of time which extends infinitely far into the future. Every niche was filled by a funeral urn, and by marble shapes that bent down in a pale eternity of sorrow.

   Similar: evermore, forever, foreverhood

4. countable, uncountable The remainder of time that elapses after death. When the wind blows not, where, then, is the wind? / Or when thou art not living, where art thou? / What should the wind care for the hours of calm or thou for death? / Thy life is long, Eternity is short. / So short that, shouldst thou die and Eternity should pass, and after the passing of Eternity

   Similar: afterlife

5. countable, excessive, informal, uncountable A comparatively long time. It's been an eternity since we last saw each other.

   Similar: an age

Similar: eternal now, extratemporality, perpetuity, ages, centuries, donkey's years, hours, a lifetime, years, yonks, alwaysness, eternality, eternity, foreverness · Opposite: sempiternity, moment