epochal

[ ep-uh-kuh l or, esp. British, ee-po- ]

/ ˈɛp ə kəl or, esp. British, ˈi pɒ- /

of, relating to, or of the nature of an epoch.

extremely important, significant, or influential.

Nearby words

First recorded in 1675–85; epoch + -al¹

Related formsep·och·al·ly, adverbnon·ep·och·al, adjectivepre·ep·och·al, adjectiveun·ep·och·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

His deficiencies and self-doubts, amid his epochal mission of liberation, are precisely what make him interesting.
Meet Moses the Swashbuckling Israelite|James Romm|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Physics—and, indeed, the rest of the world—stands at the cusp of an epochal change.
Must-Read College Novels: From “Lucky Jim” to “Pnin”|Sam Munson|August 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But even his dying was epochal—everything about this amazing writer resonates.
Joseph Roth’s Letters Reveal a Great Forgotten Writer|Anthony Heilbut|February 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In the grand scheme, this bill is not as significant as the epochal legislation of the 1930s and 1960s.
Overcoming the Fear Factor|Ted Widmer|March 21, 2010|DAILY BEAST

Observe, then, that Davy made his epochal experiment of melting ice by friction when he was a youth of twenty.
A History of Science, Volume 3(of 5)|Henry Smith Williams
In the following year of 1871, Goodyear invented his welt shoe-sewing machine and Maddox made his epochal discovery.
Invention|Bradley A. Fiske
Not too wide, however, for there were certain ones who must keep track of all details regarding this epochal event.
The Broken Gate|Emerson Hough
To-day she was facing the first problem of her young life, epochal.
Parrot & Co.|Harold MacGrath
Coronado had made one of the epochal explorations of all history.
The Colonization of North America|Herbert Eugene Bolton

adj.

1680s, from epoch + -al (1).