epoch

epoch, unit of geological time during which a rock series is deposited. It is a subdivision of a geological period, and the word is capitalized when employed in a formal sense (e.g., Pleistocene Epoch). Additional distinctions can be made by appending relative time terms, such as early, middle, and late. The use of epoch is usually restricted to divisions of the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods.