epoch

ep·och

noun
\ˈe-pək, ˈe-ˌpäk, US also & British usually ˈē-ˌpäk\

Definition of EPOCH

1

a : an event or a time marked by an event that begins a new period or development b : a memorable event or date

2

a : an extended period of time usually characterized by a distinctive development or by a memorable series of events b : a division of geologic time less than a period and greater than an age

3

: an instant of time or a date selected as a point of reference (as in astronomy)

Examples of EPOCH

1. The Civil War era was an epoch in 19th-century U.S. history.
2. The development of the steam engine marked an important epoch in the history of industry.

Origin of EPOCH

Medieval Latin epocha, from Greek epochē cessation, fixed point, from epechein to pause, hold back, from epi- + echein to hold — more at scheme

First Known Use: 1614

Related to EPOCH

Synonyms: day, age, era, period, time

Related Words: cycle, generation, year; bit, space, span, spell, stretch, while; date, vintage

[+]more[-]hide

See Synonym Discussion at period

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with EPOCH

acock, ad hoc, air lock, alt-rock, amok, armlock, art-rock, backblock, ball cock, Balzac, bangkok, Bangkok, baroque, Bartók, bawcock, bedrock, bemock, bitstock, blackcock, blesbok, bloodstock, breechblock, burdock, buttstock, caprock, coldcock, crew sock, deadlock, defrock, dreadlock, dry dock, Dvořák, earlock, elflock, en bloc, fatstock, feedstock, fetlock, firelock, flintlock, forelock, foreshock, gamecock, gemsbok, gridlock, half cock, hard rock, havelock, haycock, headlock, headstock, heart block, hemlock, in stock, Iraq, jazz-rock, Kanak, Kazak, Kazakh, kapok, kneesock, Ladakh, Laubach, livestock, lovelock, matchlock, Mohock, Moloch, nostoc, o'clock, oarlock, padlock, peacock, penstock, petcock, pibroch, picklock, post hoc, punk rock, rhebok, rimrock, roadblock, rootstock, Rostock, rowlock, scalp lock, Schirach, seed stock, shamrock, Sheetrock, shell shock, sherlock, Ship Rock, shock jock, shot clock, shylock, Sirach, slickrock, Slovak, smock frock, snatch block, soft rock, springbok, steenbok, stopcock, sunblock, swage block, ticktock, time clock, time lock, traprock, unblock, uncock, undock, van Gogh, wall rock, warlock, wedlock, wheel lock, whipstock, woodblock, woodcock, wristlock, zwieback