Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Epoch

Ep′och

(ĕp′ŏk or ē′pŏk; 277)
,
Noun.
[LL.
epocha
, Gr.
ἐποχή
check, stop, an epoch of a star, an historical epoch, fr.
ἐπέχειν
to hold on, check;
ἐπί
upon +
ἔχειν
to have, hold; akin to Skr.
sah
to overpower, Goth.
sigis
victory, AS.
sigor
,
sige
, G.
sieg
: cf. F.
époque
. See
Scheme
.]
1.
A fixed point of time, established in history by the occurrence of some grand or remarkable event; a point of time marked by an event of great subsequent influence;
as, the
epoch
of the creation; the birth of Christ was the
epoch
which gave rise to the Christian era.
In divers ages, . . . divers
epochs
of time were used.
Usher.
Great
epochs
and crises in the kingdom of God.
Trench.
The acquittal of the bishops was not the only event which makes the 30th of June, 1688, a great
epoch
in history.
Macaulay.
☞ Epochs mark the beginning of new historical periods, and dates are often numbered from them.
2.
A period of time, longer or shorter, remarkable for events of great subsequent influence; a memorable period;
as, the
epoch
of maritime discovery, or of the Reformation
.
“So vast an epoch of time.”
F. Harrison.
The influence of Chaucer continued to live even during the dreary interval which separates from one another two important
epochs
of our literary history.
A. W. Ward.
3.
(Geol.)
A division of time characterized by the prevalence of similar conditions of the earth; commonly a minor division or part of a period.
The long geological
epoch
which stored up the vast coal measures.
J. C. Shairp.
Syn. – Era; time; date; period; age.
–
Epoch
,
Era
. We speak of the era of the Reformation, when we think of it as a period, during which a new order of things prevailed; so also, the era of good feeling, etc. Had we been thinking of the time as marked by certain great events, or as a period in which great results were effected, we should have called the times when these events happened epochs, and the whole period an epoch.
The capture of Constantinople is an
epoch
in the history of Mahometanism; but the flight of Mahomet is its
era
.
C. J. Smith.

Webster 1828 Edition

Epoch

E'POCH

,
Noun.
[L. epocha; Gr. retention, delay, stop, to inhibit; to hold.]
1.
In chronology, a fixed point of time, from which succeeding years are numbered; a point from which computation of years begins. The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and the Babylonish captivity, are remarkable epochs in their history.
2.
Any fixed time or period; the period when any thing begins or is remarkably prevalent; as the epoch of falsehood; the epoch of woe.
The fifteenth century was the unhappy epoch of military establishments in time of peace.

Similar Results