Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

Carboniferous

 - 3 dictionary results

Car⋅bon⋅if⋅er⋅ous

  [kahr-buh-nif-er-uhs] Geology
Use Carboniferous in a Sentence
–adjective
1. noting or pertaining to a period of the Paleozoic Era, including the Pennsylvanian and Mississippian periods as epochs, occurring from 345 million to 280 million years ago.
2. (lowercase) producing carbon or coal.
–noun
3. the Carboniferous Period or System.
Origin:
1790–1800; < L carbōn- (s. of carbō) coal + -i- + -ferous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Carboniferous
Car·bon·if·er·ous   (kär'bə-nĭf'ər-əs)   
adj.  

  1. Of, belonging to, or denoting a geologic division of the Paleozoic Era following the Devonian and preceding the Permian, including the Mississippian Period and the Pennsylvanian Period and characterized, especially in the Pennsylvanian, by swamp formation and deposition of plant remains later hardened into coal.

  2. carboniferous Producing or containing carbon or coal.

n.  The Carboniferous Period. See Table at geologic time.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

Carboniferous 
the geological period (1830) is from a word formed in Eng. 1799 from L. carbo (gen. carbonis) "coal" (see carbon) + -ferous "producing, containing." The great coal beds of Europe were laid down during this period.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Carboniferous on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way