reagan-era
Meaning
relating to or characteristic of the period when ronald reagan was president of the united states (1981–1989)
Structure
Usage
the country's foreign policy still reflects reagan-era doctrines.
this economic theory is a hallmark of reagan-era conservatism.
many of these regulations are leftovers from the reagan-era deregulation push.
Etymology
the compound "reagan-era" is a modern political and historical term formed by combining the surname of the 40th u.s. president with the word for a historical period. the surname reagan derives from the irish ó riagáin, meaning 'descendant of riagán', a personal name likely meaning 'little king'. the word era entered english in the mid-17th century from late latin aera, denoting a system of numbered years. when combined, the term functions attributively to describe the specific cultural, political, and economic characteristics associated with ronald reagan's presidency, illustrating a common english pattern of using a leader's name to define a historical epoch.
Analysis
reagan is a surname of irish origin (ó riagáin), used here as a proper noun attributively. era originates from late latin aera, meaning 'a number or epoch', and functions as a noun denoting a distinct period of time.