Epoch
noun
Definition
1. A long period of time with significant developments.
2. A division of geological time.
2. A division of geological time.
Context Alive
When the first smartphone was released, many historians knew they were witnessing the beginning of a new epoch in human communication and daily life. The way people worked, socialized, and accessed information would never be the same again. Future generations would look back at this moment as the turning point that changed everything.
Meanings
2 meanings
1
A Long Period of Time with Significant Developments (Noun) — COMMON
Common
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This meaning is about a distinct period in history marked by important changes. Imagine reading about the Victorian epoch in a history book, learning how that era transformed society through industrial revolution and new social values. This is an epoch. You might say we’re living in the digital epoch, or historians could describe the Renaissance as an epoch of artistic rebirth. Or picture scientists declaring a new epoch in medicine after the discovery of antibiotics. The word suggests a defining period that shapes history.
Vivid ExampleThe invention of the printing press marked the beginning of a revolutionary epoch in human knowledge, making books affordable for ordinary people and spreading ideas faster than anyone had imagined possible.
2
A Division of Geological Time (Noun) — SPECIALIZED
Common
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This meaning is about a specific unit of time in Earth’s geological history. Think about scientists studying fossils from the Pleistocene epoch, a period that ended about 11,700 years ago when mammoths and saber-toothed tigers roamed the Earth. This is a geological epoch. Geologists might research the Holocene epoch we currently live in, or study rock layers from earlier epochs. Or picture researchers debating whether to officially name a new epoch called the Anthropocene to mark human impact on the planet. The word suggests measurable divisions of Earth’s history.
Vivid ExampleThe museum displayed dinosaur bones from the Cretaceous epoch, fascinating children who couldn’t believe these massive creatures had walked the Earth millions of years before humans existed.
Examples from the Street
“The internet marked the beginning of a new epoch in human history.”
The worldwide network signalled the start of a completely new era for humanity
“We’re living through an epoch-defining moment.”
We’re experiencing something that will shape this entire period of history
“It was truly an epoch-making discovery.”
It was genuinely a finding that changed everything and started a new era
Common Patterns
a new epoch → a new era or period in history
the (adjective) epoch → a specific historical period (Victorian epoch, digital epoch)
mark/signal an epoch → indicate the start of a new era
the beginning/end of an epoch → the start or conclusion of a historical period
throughout the epoch → during the entire period
epoch-making → so significant it starts a new era
epoch-defining → characterising or shaping an entire era
epoch-changing → causing a shift from one era to another
geological epoch → a division of geological time (Pleistocene, Holocene)
the Anthropocene epoch → proposed current epoch defined by human impact
Unix epoch → computing reference point (1 January 1970)
training epoch → one complete pass through training data in machine learning
Collocations
3 collocationsnew epoch
the beginning of a significant new era
epoch-making
so important it marks a turning point in history
geological epoch
a division of time in Earth's history
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The invention of the printing press marked the beginning of a new epoch in human communication
The creation of the machine for reproducing texts signalled the start of a fresh era in how people share information.
2
Einstein’s theory of relativity was an epoch-making contribution to physics
The famous scientist’s explanation of space and time was a revolutionary addition to the study of how the universe works.
3
Many historians believe the fall of the Berlin Wall marked an epoch in European history
Numerous scholars think the collapse of the barrier dividing the German city signalled the start of a new era on the continent.
4
We are living through an epoch-defining transformation in how we work and communicate
We are experiencing a change that will shape this entire period in terms of employment and interaction.
5
The Victorian epoch was characterised by rapid industrialisation and social change
The period when the British queen ruled was defined by fast factory growth and shifts in how society operated.
6
Scientists debate whether the Anthropocene epoch should be officially recognised
Researchers argue about whether the proposed era defined by human impact on the planet should be formally accepted.
7
The Pleistocene epoch ended approximately 11,700 years ago
The geological period known for ice ages concluded roughly twelve thousand years in the past.
8
His presidency brought an epoch of economic growth and stability to the country
His time as leader ushered in a period of financial expansion and steadiness for the nation.
9
The model was trained for 50 epochs before achieving acceptable accuracy
The artificial intelligence system went through the complete dataset fifty times before reaching satisfactory precision.
10
The smartphone revolution has ushered in a new epoch of constant connectivity
The transformation brought by handheld devices has introduced an era where people are always online.
Learner Examples
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The introduction of AI language tools may represent an epoch-making shift in how students learn languages
The arrival of artificial intelligence for communication might signify a revolutionary change in the way learners acquire new tongues.
★
Some educators believe we’re at the beginning of a new epoch in education, where personalised learning will replace the traditional classroom model
Certain teachers think we’re at the start of a fresh era in instruction, where customised study will take over from the conventional group-teaching approach.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
1 items Idioms & Expressionsepoch-making — extremely important and influential
The discovery of antibiotics was an epoch-making moment in medicine.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsera
a significant period of time
age
a long historical period
period
a stretch of time with shared features
chapter
a distinct phase in history
Antonymsmoment
a very brief point in time
instant
an extremely short time