Cenozoic
Definition
Adjective:
- Relating to the Cenozoic era: Describes something that belongs to, is connected with, or is characteristic of the most recent geological era, which began approximately 66 million years ago and continues to the present day.
Noun:
- The Cenozoic era: The current geological era, spanning from the end of the Cretaceous period (about 66 million years ago) to the present. It is sometimes referred to as the "Age of Mammals."
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cenozoic rocks often contain fossils of modern mammals and birds.
- The Cenozoic climate has undergone significant changes, including ice ages.
- Noun:
- The Cenozoic is divided into the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods.
- Many major mountain ranges, like the Himalayas, formed during the Cenozoic.
Advanced Usage
- "Cenozoic biota": Refers to the plant and animal life that has existed during the Cenozoic era.
- The evolution of grasses was a key event for Cenozoic biota.
- "Post-Cenozoic": A term sometimes used to speculate about geological time following the current era (though no official era is defined beyond the Cenozoic).
- Some scientists theorize about post-Cenozoic climate scenarios.
Variants and Related Words
- Cenozoic Era: The full formal name for the noun.
- Cainozoic: An alternative, less common spelling for Cenozoic.
- Neogene: A period within the Cenozoic era.
- Quaternary: The most recent period within the Cenozoic era, which includes the present.
Synonyms
- Age of Mammals: A common descriptive synonym for the Cenozoic era.
- Kainozoic: A variant spelling synonym.
Related Phrases
- Cenozoic extinction events: Refers to significant periods of species loss during this era, though less severe than the mass extinction that ended the Mesozoic.
- The Quaternary extinction event is a notable Cenozoic extinction event involving large mammals.
Related Idioms
(Note: As a specific scientific term, "Cenozoic" is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. Its usage is primarily technical.)
Adjective
-
of or relating to or denoting the Cenozoic era
Noun
-
approximately the last 63 million years
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