| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ep•och /ˈɛpək; esp. Brit. ˈipɑk/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- a period of time marked by noteworthy features or events: an epoch of peace.
- Geologya division of geologic time.
ep•och•al, adj. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ep•och (ep′ək or, esp. Brit., ē′pok),USA pronunciation n. - a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.:The treaty ushered in an epoch of peace and good will.
- the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything:The splitting of the atom marked an epoch in scientific discovery.
- 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. - Geologyany of several divisions of a geologic period during which a geologic series is formed. Cf. age (def. 12). See table under geologic time.
- 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.
- Physicsthe displacement from zero at zero time of a body undergoing simple harmonic motion.
- Greek epoché̄ pause, check, fixed time, equivalent. to ep- ep- + och- (variant stem of échein to have) + -ē noun, nominal suffix
- Neo-Latin epocha
- 1605–15
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged age, date, era, time. See age.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: epoch /ˈiːpɒk/ n - a point in time beginning a new or distinctive period
- a long period of time marked by some predominant or typical characteristic; era
- a precise date to which information, such as coordinates, relating to a celestial body is referred
- a unit of geological time within a period during which a series of rocks is formed
Etymology: 17th Century: from New Latin epocha, from Greek epokhē cessation; related to ekhein to hold, haveepochal /ˈɛpˌɒkəl/ adj |