Aeon Definition
Aeon (pronounced /ˈiːən/ or /ˈiːɒn/) originally meant “life”, “vital force”, “generation”, or “a period of time”. In modern usage, it refers to an indefinite and vast period of time. In astronomy and geology, an aeon is a unit of time equivalent to one billion years. In philosophy, particularly in Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, an aeon is seen as a divine emanation or phase of the supreme deity.
The word comes from the Latin transliteration of the Ancient Greek word αἰών (aiōn), meaning “age” or “century”. It is related to the Sanskrit kalpa and the Hebrew olam, both referring to long periods of time.
