golden age

[gohl-dn eyj-]

noun

1. the most flourishing period in the history of a nation, literature, etc.

2. Classical Mythology.,  the first and best of the four ages of humankind; an era of peace and innocence that finally yielded to the silver age.

3. (usually initial capital letters),  a period in Latin literature, 70 b.c. to a.d. 14, in which Cicero, Catullus, Horace, Vergil, Ovid, and others wrote; the first phase of Classical Latin.

4. the period in life after middle age, traditionally characterized by wisdom, contentment, and useful leisure.

5. the age at which a person normally retires.

golden age

noun

1. classical myth the first and best age of mankind, when existence was happy, prosperous, and innocent

2. the most flourishing and outstanding period, esp in the history of an art or nation

   the golden age of poetry

3. the great classical period of Latin literature, occupying approximately the 1st century _bc and represented by such writers as Cicero and Virgil

Word History and Origins

Origin of golden age¹

First recorded in 1545–55

Idioms and Phrases

A period of prosperity or excellent achievement, as in Some consider the baroque period the golden age of choral music. The expression dates from the mid-1500s, when it was first applied to a period of classical Latin poetry.

Example Sentences

Some recognize this as print journalism’s golden age, when newspapers kept the citizens connected to the world around them.

From Salon

Republicans tout it as providing “an economic lifeline for working families” and “laying a key cornerstone of America’s new golden age.”

From Salon

With the 'Big Three' era having ended, and Djokovic the last man standing from the golden age of men's tennis, fans are looking for another rivalry to latch on to.

From BBC

If this is indeed the golden age of Dodger baseball — as Andrew Friedman so deftly described it — then the guardian of the era has been Kershaw.

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike the golden age of twee, dancing in the street and running into the arms of the one person you love aren’t enough for a happy ending.

From Salon