1. Époque. Une période troublée.
2. Durée. La période de révolution d'un astre.
3. Phase. La période d'incubation.
ETYM Late Lat. epocha, Greek epoche check, stop, an epoch of a star, an historical epoch, from epechein to hold on, check.
(Homonym: epic).
1. A unit of geological time.
2. (Astronomy) The precise date that is the point of reference for which information (as coordinates of a celestial body) is referred; SYN. date of reference.
Subdivision of a geological period in the geological time scale. Epochs are sometimes given their own names (such as the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs comprising the Tertiary period), or they are referred to as the late, early, or middle portions of a given period (as the Late Cretaceous or the Middle Triassic epoch).
ETYM Latin periodus, Greek, a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri round, about + hodos a way: cf. French période.
1. A stage in the history of a culture having a definable place in space and time; SYN. historic period, historical period.
2. A time of life characterized as a distinct phase.
3. A unit of geological time during which a system of rocks formed; SYN. geological period.
4. One of (usually) three or four sections of play in various sports.
5. The end or completion of something.
6. The interval taken to complete one cycle of a regularly repeating phenomenon.