éternité

eternity

noun eh-tehr-nee-TEH Less Common

Origin: Latin aeternitas, from aeternus 'eternal'

Usage Note

Éternité is used in theological contexts and in hyperbolic everyday speech (ça fait une éternité que je ne t'ai pas vu, 'I haven't seen you in ages'). The adjective éternel(le) ('eternal') and adverb éternellement are close relatives. The phrase pour l'éternité means 'for all eternity'.

Examples

"Cela fait une éternité qu'on ne s'est pas vus."

Natural Translation

It has been an eternity since we last saw each other.

Literal Translation

It makes an eternity that we have not seen each other.

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