epoch

[ep-uhk, ee-pok]

noun

1. a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc..

   The treaty ushered in an epoch of peace and good will.

   Synonyms: time, era, date, age

2. the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything.

   The splitting of the atom marked an epoch in scientific discovery.

3. a point of time distinguished by a particular event or state of affairs; a memorable date.

   His coming of age was an epoch in his life.

4. Geology.,  any of several divisions of a geologic period during which a geologic series is formed.

5. Astronomy.

   1. an arbitrarily fixed instant of time or date, usually the beginning of a century or half century, used as a reference in giving the elements of a planetary orbit or the like.

   2. the mean longitude of a planet as seen from the sun at such an instant or date.

6. Physics.,  the displacement from zero at zero time of a body undergoing simple harmonic motion.

epoch

/ ˈiːpɒk, ˈɛpˌɒkəl /

noun

1. a point in time beginning a new or distinctive period

   the invention of nuclear weapons marked an epoch in the history of warfare

2. a long period of time marked by some predominant or typical characteristic; era

3. astronomy a precise date to which information, such as coordinates, relating to a celestial body is referred

4. geology a unit of geological time within a period during which a series of rocks is formed

   the Pleistocene epoch

5. physics the displacement of an oscillating or vibrating body at zero time

epoch

1. The shortest division of geologic time. An epoch is a subdivision of a period.

Other Word Forms

• subepoch noun
• superepoch noun
• epochal adjective
• epochally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of epoch¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from New Latin epocha, from Greek epochḗ “pause, check, fixed time,” from ep- ep- + och- (variant stem of échein “to have, hold, keep”) + -ē, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of epoch¹

C17: from New Latin epocha, from Greek epokhē cessation; related to ekhein to hold, have

Synonym Study

See age.

Example Sentences

Enthusiasts of the Dutch and Flemish Golden Age will be delighted to learn of the more quotidian arts that rounded out this visually rich epoch: hand-wrought lace, calligraphy, botanical illustrations and more.

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"The low metallicity environment, meaning the reduced abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, is interesting because it's similar to galaxies at earlier cosmological epochs," Sewilo explained.

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Although the event occurred in the early Holocene epoch, when global temperatures were naturally higher than during the last Ice Age, the same physical processes are relevant today.

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Frieman: The data from these surveys allow us to infer the history of cosmic expansion -- how fast the universe has been expanding at different epochs in the past.

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"This work helps bridge the gap between the epoch of reionisation and the so-called cosmic noon, when star formation peaked," said Danhaive, who is also affiliated with the Cavendish Laboratory.

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