Mesozoic

[ mez-uh-zoh-ik, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh- ]
/ ˌmɛz əˈzoʊ ɪk, ˌmɛs-, ˌmi zə-, -sə- /
Geology

adjective

noting or pertaining to an era occurring between 230 and 65 million years ago, characterized by the appearance of flowering plants and by the appearance and extinction of dinosaurs.

noun

the Mesozoic Era or group of systems.

Origin of Mesozoic

First recorded in 1830–40; meso- + zo- + -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM Mesozoic

post-Mes·o·zo·ic, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for mesozoic

British Dictionary definitions for mesozoic

Mesozoic
/ (ˌmɛsəʊˈzəʊɪk) /

adjective

of, denoting, or relating to an era of geological time that began 250 000 000 years ago with the Triassic period and lasted about 185 000 000 years until the end of the Cretaceous period

noun

the Mesozoic the Mesozoic era

Scientific definitions for mesozoic

Mesozoic
[ mĕz′ə-zō′ĭk ]

The era of geologic time from about 245 to 65 million years ago. The Mesozoic Era was characterized by a drastic change in plants and animals. In the early part of the Mesozoic, ferns, cycads, and ginkgos were dominant; later, gymnosperms and angiosperms developed. Dinosaurs also first appeared in the Mesozoic and, with the exception of birds, became extinct at the end of the era. See Chart at geologic time.