Definition

1. Noun:
   • The system of chronology that uses the supposed year of Jesus Christ's birth as its starting point, designated as 1 A.D. (Anno Domini). It is the predominant calendar era used internationally for civil purposes today, often paired with the system of B.C. (Before Christ).

Usage

• The Christian Era provides a common framework for dating historical and contemporary events.
• It is used in academic, historical, and general contexts to denote dates. The abbreviations "AD" (placed before the year number in older usage, but increasingly after) and "BC" are used with it.
• Example:
• Example:

Advanced Usage

• "Common Era (CE)" and "Before Common Era (BCE)": These are secular alternatives to "AD" and "BC" that use the same year-numbering system as the Christian Era without explicit religious reference. The epoch year (1 CE) remains the same.
  • Example: Scholars increasingly use CE/BCE notation instead of AD/BC.

Variants and Related Words

• Anno Domini (AD): A Latin phrase meaning "in the year of the Lord," used to label or number years in the Christian Era.
• Before Christ (BC): Used to label or number years before the start of the Christian Era.
• Common Era (CE): A synonym for AD.
• Before Common Era (BCE): A synonym for BC.

Synonyms

• Common Era (CE) (when referring to the period from year 1 onward).
• Anno Domini.

Notes on Meaning

• The term Christian Era specifically refers to the chronological system itself, not to a historical period characterized by Christian dominance. It is a calendrical reference point.
• The "supposed" year of Christ's birth is acknowledged by historians to be a calculation made centuries later and is likely inaccurate by a few years.

Noun

1. the time period beginning with the supposed year of Christ's birth