noun
epoch
A fixed point in time from which other times are measured.
The system counts elapsed seconds from a fixed epoch.
Etymology
The Greek word concerns a stopping or fixed point. In timekeeping, an epoch fixes the reference point from which other dates or intervals are reckoned.
More examples
- For Unix time, the epoch is midnight UTC on January 1, 1970.
- We choose the experiment's start time as our epoch.
- Converting these timestamps requires knowing the epochs used by both systems.
Forms
epoch · epochs
Similar words
- reference point
- Can anchor any measurement, not just the measurement of time.
- starting point
- May begin an activity without serving as a measurement reference.