epoca

Epoca is a term used in several Romance languages to denote a period, era, or distinct span of time. In English, the closest cognate is epoch. Epoca can refer to a broad era defined by characteristic features or events, or to a culturally named period such as a historical or artistic phase. In everyday usage, it often carries a sense of a notable time with its own social, political, or stylistic traits.

Etymology and scope: the word derives from Latin epochā, from Greek epochē, passing into Romance languages through French époque. Across disciplines, epoca is used to mark time in different ways, with nuanced meanings depending on context.

Applications across fields: In history and cultural studies, epoca designates a specific historical period or era, for example an era of enlightenment or a romantic epoch. In geology and paleontology, the corresponding English term epoch names subdivisions of a geologic period, such as the Holocene Epoch or Miocene Epoch; some languages use epoca for these senses in translation. In astronomy, an epoch (in English) refers to a reference moment for celestial coordinates or orbital data, such as epoch J2000. In computing, the Unix epoch marks the starting point of timekeeping as January 1, 1970 UTC, with elapsed time counted since that moment.

Overall, epoca is a flexible label for time classified by notable changes or features, ranging from scientific time scales to everyday historical narratives.