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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Epoch \Ep"och\ ([e^]p"[o^]k or [=e]"p[o^]k; 277), n. [LL.
epocha, Gr. 'epochh` check, stop, an epoch of a star, an
historical epoch, fr. 'epe`chein to hold on, check; 'epi`
upon 'e`chein to have, hold; akin to Skr. sah to overpower,
Goth. sigis victory, AS. sigor, sige, G. sieg: cf. F.
['e]poque. 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.
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In divers ages, . . . divers epochs of time were
used. --Usher.
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Great epochs and crises in the kingdom of God.
--Trench.
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The acquittal of the bishops was not the only event
which makes the 30th of June, 1688, a great epoch in
history. --Macaulay.
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Note: Epochs mark the beginning of new historical periods,
and dates are often numbered from them.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The long geological epoch which stored up the vast
coal measures. --J. C.
Shairp.
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4. (Astron.)
(a) The date at which a planet or comet has a longitude or
position.
(b) An arbitrary fixed date, for which the elements used
in computing the place of a planet, or other heavenly
body, at any other date, are given; as, the epoch of
Mars; lunar elements for the epoch March 1st, 1860.

Syn: Era; time; date; period; age.

Usage: {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.
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The capture of Constantinople is an epoch in the
history of Mahometanism; but the flight of
Mahomet is its era. --C. J. Smith.
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