9 October 2015

epoch

[ep-uh k or, esp. British, 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.
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.
Compare age (def 12).
5. Astronomy.
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.
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.

Origin of epoch

Greek

1605-1615; < New Latin epocha < Greek epochḗ pause, check, fixed time, equivalent to ep- ep- + och- (variant stem of échein to have) + -ē noun suffix
Related forms Expand
subepoch, noun
superepoch, noun

Can be confused
epic, epoch.

Synonyms
1. age, date, era, time. See age.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for epoch

Contemporary Examples

As I said, Balzac wrote about an epoch that is curiously like our own.
Happy Birthday, Balzac: The Essential Novels
Ronald K. Fried
May 19, 2013

At the same time, it is the hallmark of brilliant people whatever their civilization, epoch, or area of expertise.
Insufferable Elitism of the SATs
James Poulos
March 7, 2014

Prague Fatale is authentic because Kerr can muffle the horror of this epoch in dramatic irony but he can also shout it out loud.
Must Read Fiction: ‘Prague Fatale,’ ‘Derby Day’ and More
Malcolm Forbes, Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao
May 8, 2012

Historical examples

The utopian hopes of the epoch of military communism came in later for a cruel, and in many respects just, criticism.
The Revolution Betrayed.
Leon Trotsky, 1936

Anagram

he cop

Today’s quote

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That’s what’s insane about it.

– John Lennon

On this day

9 October 1940 – birthday of John Lennon. English guitarist and singer-songwriter for the Beatles. Murdered 8 December 1980.

9 October 1967 – death of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Argentinian Marxist revolutionary, physician, author. Executed in Bolivia.

9 October 1969 – birth of P.J. Harvey, English musician.

9 October 1975 – Andrei Sakharov, Soviet dissident, wins Nobel Peace Prize.