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Is there a single word which means "of or relating to a particular era"? I am looking for a word which means that something is limited to a particular era, as opposed to being universal. Preferably it should be conjugated from the word era, but doesn't have to be.

As an example, things that only existed during the Stone Age, or practices that were only practiced before World War II, or beliefs that were prevalent before the Industrial Revolution, or technology which existed after the advent of computers, could be said to be [insert word here].

EDIT:

I have made several attempts to clarify what I am asking for, and I seem to be having trouble communicating. "Particular" can mean "an individual object, as contrasted with a universal" - see definition 11 here. I am looking for a word that says a noun belongs to any one era, as opposed to belonging to all eras. "Food" would not be described with this term, as "food" belongs to any era. "Automobile" would, as "automobile" only existed during the Modern Era and not before. "Uncharted territory" only existed in the era before satellite imagery (at least as far as Earth is concerned). I am not looking for a word which is confined to any one particular era. I am looking for a word which is confined to any one era in the set of all eras.

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  • "Contemporary (with)", or part of the "zeitgeist".
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:28
  • @DanBron I am not looking for a word which connotes in relation to something else. I am looking for relating to a particular era as opposed to being universally relevant.
    – Y     e     z
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:31
  • Ah, the first word that comes to mind for me is "period", as in "period dress" in cinema.
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:34
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    That document is from the Edo period. But the word you're looking for is something like eral or periodal.
    – SrJoven
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:34
  • 1
    Maybe you should clarify what you mean by something belonging to an era.
    – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 20:46

6 Answers 6

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Something may be contemporaneous with other things of the same era.

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Epoch might serve the purpose.

a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.:

Examples at: http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/epoch

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  • 2
    Probably "epochal" would be closer. Thanks!
    – Y     e     z
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:58
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a word which means that something is limited to a particular era, as opposed to being universal

Dated is a word that means that, at least wrt a past era. Example:

  • The expression Duck and cover! is dated, as is the associated concept.

Or perhaps you are just looking for a word like time-related, time-relevant, or era-specific, which conveys the idea that the thing in question is not meaningful for all times/eras?

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I've seen current used in this manner, when context is understood as the period in question. Synonyms prevalent, prevailing could also work.

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Coeval may convey the idea. The Free Dictionary defines coeval as:

Originating or existing during the same period; lasting through the same era.

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  • Thanks - I am not looking for a word which connotes in relation to something else. I am looking for relating to a particular era as opposed to being universally relevant.
    – Y     e     z
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 19:32
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Temporary: lasting for only a limited period of time; not permanent (as per Google).

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