Pleistocene
/ˈplaɪstəˌsiːn/ adjective, proper noun
Forms Ps
- adjective (geology) Of a geologic epoch within the Quaternary period from about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago (earlier definition 1.7 million to 11,000 years ago); marked by the evolution of man, and the extinction of the large mammals.
- proper noun (geology) The Pleistocene epoch.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek πλεῖστος (pleîstos, “most”) and καινός (kainós, “new”), meaning “newest”, coined by Charles Lyell in 1839. By surface analysis, containing the suffix -cene.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to the epoch, or the deposits, following the Tertiary, and immediately preceding man. --n.
- adjective The Pleistocene epoch, or deposits.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “Pleistocene”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details