Definition

1. Adverb:

   • In the period coinciding with the Christian era: Used to indicate dates in the same chronological system as Anno Domini (AD), but without explicit religious reference. It is often preferred in secular or academic contexts.
   • Abbreviation: CE.

2. Noun (proper noun):

   • The time period beginning with the supposed year of Christ's birth: The current era of the Gregorian calendar, starting from year 1. It is synonymous with the Christian era or Anno Domini (AD) era.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:

  • The manuscript is dated to the 5th century Common Era.
  • The event occurred in 410 CE.

• Noun:

  • Scholars often date artifacts with reference to the Common Era.
  • The calendar system used globally for civil purposes is based on the Common Era.

Advanced Usage

• Used in juxtaposition with BCE: "Common Era" (CE) is the counterpart to "Before the Common Era" (BCE), which replaces "Before Christ" (BC). This pairing provides a religiously neutral terminology for historical dating.

  • The war took place from 264 to 241 BCE, while the treaty was signed in 220 CE.

• Academic and secular preference: The term is widely adopted in scholarly, scientific, and interfaith publications to maintain neutrality.

  • Most history textbooks now use CE and BCE for dates.

Variants and Related Words

• CE: The standard abbreviation for "Common Era."
• BCE (Before the Common Era): Denotes years before the start of the Common Era, equivalent to BC.
• Anno Domini (AD): The Latin term meaning "in the year of our Lord," directly equivalent to CE.
• Christian Era: A synonymous term for the same period, with a more explicit religious connotation.

Synonyms

• AD (Anno Domini): (Adverb) In the year of our Lord.
• Christian Era: (Noun) The era beginning with the traditional date of Christ's birth.

Notes on Usage

• Capitalization: The term is typically capitalized as "Common Era" or in its abbreviation "CE."
• Placement: When used as an adverb, "CE" follows the year (e.g., 1066 CE). When used as a noun, it often appears after prepositions like "in" or "during" (e.g., ).
• Neutrality: The primary function of the term is to provide a non-religious alternative to "AD," while maintaining the same chronological system. It does not change the numerical year count.

Adverb

1. of the period coinciding with the Christian era; preferred by some writers who are not Christians
   • in 200 CE

Noun

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