The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word EPOCHS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
E
P
O
C
H
S
More clues leading to the result EPOCHS
- Cheops constructed for long periods
- The Times: can it manage reverses?
- Revolutionary range keeps hot for ages
- Periods of quiet — manage to get upset
- The woman rings officer up for dates
- Champion immersed in unlimited calm for ages
- Periods of European disease causing skin rash, reportedly
- Periods of records covering old church
- 8d
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Periods" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case periods = epochs.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EPOCHS mean?
EPOCHS noun- A particular period of history, especially one considered noteworthy or remarkable.
- A notable event which marks the beginning of such a period.
- A precise instant of time that is used as a point of reference.
- Uses in computing.
- A unit of geologic time subdividing a period into smaller parts.