Period

Real World Example

Imagine trying to organize a large closet filled with clothes, where you need to categorize items not just by type but by a more meaningful timeframe of when you wear them, like seasons. This is similar to how geologists organize Earth's history into periods, which help them categorize vast stretches of time into more manageable segments based on significant global changes, just like you categorize your wardrobe to better understand your clothing needs throughout the year. Just as you might have "winter" and "summer" sections in your closet, a period in geologic time acts as a broad category, lasting tens of millions of years, that is larger than a specific set of events (like an epoch's "weekend wardrobe") but smaller than an overarching theme (like an era's "entire year's attire").