English
epoch
Epoch comes from Medieval Latin epocha ‘age, period, time, season, epoch’, from Ancient Greek ἐπέχω ‘to hold in, check’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to overpower’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-‘to overpower’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*séǵʰeti‘to overpower, take hold of’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hékʰō‘to have’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἔχωékhō‘to have, hold’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπέχωepékhō‘to hold in, check’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐποχήepokhḗ‘a check, cessation, stop, pause, epoch of a star, i.e.’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500epocha‘age, period, time, season, epoch’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834epoch
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-‘to overpower’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*séǵʰeti‘to overpower, take hold of’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hékʰō‘to have’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἔχωékhō‘to have, hold’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπέχωepékhō‘to hold in, check’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐποχήepokhḗ‘a check, cessation, stop, pause, epoch of a star, i.e.’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500epocha‘age, period, time, season, epoch’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834epoch
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “I grew bitter in my words—I believed the worst…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to overpower’
school, severe, scholar, severity, hector, perseverance, scholastic, schema, shul, 23 more
through Ancient Greek ἔχω ‘to have, hold’
Today it means
noun A particular period of history, or of a person's life, especially one considered noteworthy or remarkable.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- / epoch