eternity
[C/U] Both
pl: eternitiespast: nonepp: noneing: nonecomp: nonesup: none
This word evokes a sense of timelessness that transcends human comprehension. It is often associated with the divine, the afterlife, or a state of existence where the clock simply ceases to function, creating a feeling of vast, shimmering stillness. In casual conversation, it is frequently used as a hyperbolic expression to describe an excruciatingly long wait. When someone says it took an eternity for the coffee to brew, they are projecting the concept of infinity onto a mundane frustration to emphasize their impatience.
Uncountable when referring to the theological state of endless existence. Countable when used hyperbolically to describe a specific, long period of waiting (e.g., it felt like an eternity).