eternity

Noun

eternity (countable and uncountable, plural eternities)

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.1829, John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions, 10th edition, volume 2, Sermon LVIII: On the Eternity of God, page 1
   • This theory regards creation as an act of God in eternity past.1886, Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology: a Compendium and Commonplace-book Designed for the Use of Theological Students, page 190

   Synonyms:

   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...1879, Erastus Snow, “Rest Signifies Change, etc.”, in Brigham Young, editor, Journal of Discourses, volume 21, published 1881

   Synonyms:

   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.1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Marriage”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 220
   • No limit / Not none that I can see / No limit / Not one, not one / Not one for you or me / No limit / Well, it can go until eternity, yeah / No limits to our love, girl1978, Breakwater, “No Limit”, in Breakwater

   Synonyms:

   evermore, forever, foreverhood

4. (metaphysics) 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...1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], “Pegāna”, in The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, pages 75–76

   Synonyms:

   afterlife

5. (excessive, informal) A comparatively long time.
   • It's been an eternity since we last saw each other.
   • I had to wait in the station for ten days - an eternity.1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 208

   Synonyms:

   an age