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.

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before Christ

[Adverb]

marking the years before Christ's supposed birth

Ex: The ancient city of Rome was traditionally founded in 753 BC.

era

[noun]

a period of history marked by particular features or events

Ex: The Industrial Revolution ushered in an era of rapid technological and economic change .

millennium

[noun]

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

Ex: Futurists speculate about technological advancements that may shape the next millennium.

millennial

[Adjective]

relating to a time span of a thousand years

Ex: The millennial glacier has been slowly receding over the past thousand years .

century

[noun]

a period of one hundred years

Ex: This ancient artifact dates back to the 7th century.

decade

[noun]

ten years of time

Ex: The technology has evolved significantly in the last decade.

age

[noun]

a period of history identified with a particular event

Ex: The age of agriculture saw the development of farming techniques and settlement growth .

chronological

[Adjective]

organized according to the order that the events occurred in

Ex: The museum exhibit showcased artifacts in chronological order , illustrating the development of civilization .

eternity

[noun]

time that is endless

Ex: As the sun dipped below the horizon , painting the sky in shades of pink and gold , she felt a sense of peace wash over her , a fleeting glimpse of eternity.

eventual

[Adjective]

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

Ex: Although the road ahead may be challenging , they remain optimistic about their eventual triumph .

annually

[Adverb]

in a way that happens once every year

Ex: The garden show takes place annually.

biannual

[Adjective]

taking place twice a year

Ex: The biannual festival is a highlight of the community calendar , bringing together locals and tourists .

indefinitely

[Adverb]

for an unspecified period of time

Ex: The road closure will last indefinitely as repairs are more extensive than anticipated .

subsequently

[Adverb]

after a particular event or time

Ex: We visited the museum in the morning and subsequently had lunch by the river .

simultaneously

[Adverb]

at exactly the same time

Ex: They pressed the buttons simultaneously to start the synchronized performance .

beforehand

[Adverb]

at an earlier time

Ex: The system requires login credentials beforehand.

frequently

[Adverb]

regularly and with short time in between

Ex: The software is updated frequently to address bugs and improve performance .

instantly

[Adverb]

with no delay and at once

Ex: The online message was delivered instantly to the recipient .

former

[Adjective]

referring to the first of two things mentioned

Ex: After evaluating two investment strategies, they opted for the former approach as it promised more consistent returns.

latter

[Adjective]

referring to the second of two things mentioned

Ex: Of the two holiday destinations, we decided to visit the latter one due to its proximity to the beach.

leap year

[noun]

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

Ex: Leap years help to keep our calendar synchronized with the seasons .

seasonal

[Adjective]

typical or customary for a specific time of year

Ex: Seasonal changes in weather influence the types of clothing available in stores .

solstice

[noun]

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

Ex: At the summer solstice, ancient rituals are enacted to honor the sun and its life-giving energy, ensuring bountiful harvests and prosperity for the year ahead.

continual

[Adjective]

happening repeatedly or continuously in an annoying or problematic way

Ex: The continual delays in the train schedule frustrated commuters .

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: The beach was deserted at dusk, save for a few solitary figures walking along the shoreline , silhouetted against the fading light of the sun .

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: Later on, we might consider expanding the business.

prehistoric

[Adjective]

relating or belonging to the time before history was recorded

Ex: Researchers use carbon dating to determine the age of prehistoric artifacts .

primitive

[Adjective]

characteristic of an early stage of human or animal evolution

Ex: The island 's ecosystem still contains primitive species that have remained unchanged for centuries .

civilization

[noun]

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

Ex: The rise of civilization in Mesopotamia marked the beginning of recorded history .

historian

[noun]

someone who studies or records historical events

Ex: The historian's lecture on World War II was incredibly detailed .

medieval

[Adjective]

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

Ex: Medieval armor and weapons are displayed in the exhibit on chivalric knights .

golden age

[noun]

a period of great prosperity and success, particularly in the past

Ex: The village seemed trapped in a timeless golden age of simplicity .