BCE Definition & Meaning

"BCE" stands for "Before Common Era." It is a dating system used to represent years in a secular and non-religious way. BCE is essentially equivalent to "BC," which stands for "Before Christ" and is used in the traditional Gregorian calendar to count years before the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The use of BCE is preferred in academic and scholarly contexts when referring to dates before the common era, especially when discussing historical events, to avoid religious connotations and be more inclusive of various cultures and belief systems. 

For example, the year 100 BCE and 100 BC both refer to the same point in time, but using BCE is a way to provide a neutral and non-denominational way of expressing the date. Similarly, "CE" (Common Era) is used in place of "AD" (Anno Domini) to represent years in the current era or after the traditional birth of Jesus Christ.