Eocene

[ ee-uh-seen ]
/ ˈi əˌsin /
Geology

adjective

noting or pertaining to an epoch of the Tertiary Period, occurring from 55 to 40 million years ago and characterized by the advent of the modern mammalian orders.

noun

the Eocene Epoch or Series.

Origin of Eocene

First recorded in 1825–35; eo- + -cene

OTHER WORDS FROM Eocene

post-E·o·cene, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for eocene

British Dictionary definitions for eocene

Eocene
/ (ˈiːəʊˌsiːn) /

adjective

of, denoting, or formed in the second epoch of the Tertiary period, which lasted for 20 000 000 years, during which hooved mammals appeared

noun

the Eocene the Eocene epoch or rock series

Word Origin for Eocene

C19: from eo- + -cene

Scientific definitions for eocene

Eocene
[ ē′ə-sēn′ ]

The second epoch of the Tertiary Period, from about 58 to 37 million years ago. During the earliest part of this epoch, land connections existed between Antarctica and Australia, between Europe and North America, and between North America and Asia, and the climate was warm. The land connection between Antarctica and Australia disappeared in the mid-Eocene and early Oligocene, resulting in a change in the predominant oceanic currents and a cooler climate. With this change, the average size of mammals changed from less than 10 kg (22 lbs) to more than 10 kg. The Himalayas also formed during the Eocene, and most modern orders of mammals appeared. See Chart at geologic time.