Essential Vocabulary for TOEFL - Time and History

Here you will learn some English words about time and history, such as "century", "decade", "eternity", etc. that are needed for the TOEFL exam.

Review

Flashcards

Spelling

Quiz

Start learning

before Christ

[Adverb]

marking the years before Christ's supposed birth

Ex: The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia flourished around 3000 BC.

era

[noun]

a period of history marked by particular features or events

Ex: The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of a new era in European politics.

millennium

[noun]

a period of one thousand years, usually calculated from the year of the birth of Jesus Christ

Ex: Historians study events that occurred during the first millennium AD to understand ancient civilizations.

millennial

[Adjective]

relating to a time span of a thousand years

Ex: The ancient ruins provide insights into millennial civilizations.

century

[noun]

a period of one hundred years

Ex: Climate change is one of the most serious issues of this century.

decade

[noun]

ten years of time

Ex: It's been a decade since I last visited my hometown.

age

[noun]

a period of history identified with a particular event

Ex: During the age of exploration, many new lands and trade routes were discovered.

chronological

[Adjective]

organized according to the order that the events occurred in

Ex: The historical events were presented in chronological order.

eternity

[noun]

time that is endless

Ex: Gazing up at the starry night sky, he felt as though he could get lost in the vastness of eternity.

eventual

[Adjective]

happening at the end of a process or a particular period of time

Ex: After years of hard work and dedication, he finally achieved his eventual goal of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

annually

[Adverb]

in a way that happens once every year

Ex: The insurance premium is paid annually.

biannual

[Adjective]

taking place twice a year

Ex: The company holds biannual meetings to review progress and set new goals.

indefinitely

[Adverb]

for an unspecified period of time

Ex: The event has been postponed indefinitely due to unforeseen circumstances.

subsequently

[Adverb]

after a particular event or time

Ex: She moved to France and subsequently began studying art.

simultaneously

[Adverb]

at exactly the same time

Ex: The two dancers performed different routines simultaneously on the stage.

beforehand

[Adverb]

at an earlier time

Ex: Guests must submit dietary requests beforehand.

frequently

[Adverb]

regularly and with short time in between

Ex: He checks his email frequently throughout the day.

instantly

[Adverb]

with no delay and at once

Ex: The digital transaction was completed instantly.

former

[Adjective]

referring to the first of two things mentioned

Ex: After considering two internship offers, he decided to pursue the former opportunity as it offered more hands-on experience.

latter

[Adjective]

referring to the second of two things mentioned

Ex: n the debate between the two proposals, the latter argument was more compelling.

leap year

[noun]

a year in every four years that has 366 days instead of 365

Ex: 2020 was a leap year, so it had 366 days instead of the usual 365.

seasonal

[Adjective]

typical or customary for a specific time of year

Ex: They enjoyed seasonal fruits and vegetables from the local farmer's market.

solstice

[noun]

either of the two times of the year when the sun reaches its farthest or closest distance from the equator

Ex: The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, a time when darkness holds sway over the land and the world seems to stand still.

continual

[Adjective]

happening repeatedly or continuously in an annoying or problematic way

Ex: The continual noise from the construction site disrupted the neighborhood's peace.

daybreak

[noun]

the time in the very early morning when the first sunlight appears

dusk

[noun]

the time after sun sets that is not yet completely dark

Ex: As the sky turned a deep shade of orange, signaling the onset of dusk, the city's lights began to flicker on, casting a warm glow over the streets.

solar year

[noun]

the time span in which earth orbits the sun

lunar year

[noun]

a period of 12 lunar months (the time span between two new moons), which is around 354 days

later on

[Adverb]

after the time mentioned or in the future

Ex: I'll finish the task later on, after I take a break.

prehistoric

[Adjective]

relating or belonging to the time before history was recorded

Ex: Archaeologists discovered prehistoric artifacts in the cave.

primitive

[Adjective]

characteristic of an early stage of human or animal evolution

Ex: The cave paintings depict the life of primitive man.

civilization

[noun]

a society that has developed its own culture and institutions in a particular period of time or place

Ex: Ancient Egypt is considered one of the greatest civilizations in history.

historian

[noun]

someone who studies or records historical events

Ex: The historian spent years researching ancient Roman battles.

medieval

[Adjective]

belonging or related to the Middle Ages, the period in European history from roughly the 5th to the 15th century

Ex: The castle is a masterpiece of medieval architecture, complete with towers and battlements.

golden age

[noun]

an idealized or imagined period of peace, prosperity, and happiness

Ex: The novel depicted a golden age of harmony in the kingdom.

Essential Vocabulary for TOEFL
Hobbies and Games	Shopping	The Economy	The Business World
Success and Failure	Politics	Law and Order	Crime and Punishment
War and Peace	Religion	Biology, Physics, and Chemistry	Mathematics and Measurement
Engineering and Research	Athletics	Time and History