e ‧ poch /ˈiːpɒk $ ˈepək/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Medieval Latin ; Origin: epocha , from Greek epoche 'ending, fixed point' , from epechein 'to stop for a time, hold back' ]
a period of history SYN era :
the Victorian epoch
The king’s death marked the end of an epoch.
the beginning of a new epoch
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THESAURUS
■ a period in history
▪ period a particular time in history, especially one studied as a subject:
the late Victorian period
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the interwar period
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During that period many people moved from the countryside to the towns.
▪ time a period of years, months, days etc:
The 1960s were a time of great social change.
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the biggest earthquake in modern times
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Verdun was an important city in Roman times.
▪ age a long period, especially one that represents a particular stage in the development of civilization or technology:
the industrial age
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We are now in the age of the Internet.
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the Stone Age (=when people used tools made of stone)
▪ era a long period that has a particular character or that is marked by particular events:
We live in an era of breathtaking change.
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the post-war era
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De Gaulle’s death marked the end of an era.
▪ epoch /ˈiːpɒk $ ˈepək/ formal means the same as era , but sounds more formal and important:
We are now entering a new epoch in human history.
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the colonial epoch
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It was the end of an epoch.