Dark Age

(därk)

1. also dark age
   a. An era of ignorance, superstition, or social chaos or repression. Often used in the plural: a novel depicting the dark ages in the aftermath of a global war.
   b. The early or crude stage in the history or development of something. Often used in the plural: back in the dark ages of radio technology.
2. Dark Ages
   a. The period in Europe from the fall of Rome in the fifth century A.D. to the restoration of relative political stability around the year 1000; the early part of the Middle Ages.
   b. The entire Middle Ages, especially when viewed as a troubled period marked by the loss of classical learning. No longer in use by historians.