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Paleozoic

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Pa⋅le⋅o⋅zo⋅ic

[pey-lee-uh-zoh-ik or, especially Brit., pal-ee-] Geology
–adjective
1. noting or pertaining to an era occurring between 570 million and 230 million years ago, characterized by the advent of fish, insects, and reptiles.
–noun
2. the Paleozoic Era or group of systems.

Origin:
1830–40; paleo- + -zoic < Gk zōïkós pertaining to animals; see zo-, -ic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Pa·le·o·zo·ic   (pā'lē-ə-zō'ĭk)   
adj.  Of, belonging to, or designating the era of geologic time that includes the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Permian periods and is characterized by the appearance of marine invertebrates, primitive fishes, land plants, and primitive reptiles. See Table at geologic time.
n.  The Paleozoic Era.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

Paleozoic 
geological era between the Precambrian and the Mesozoic, 1838, coined by Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873) from paleo- + Gk. zoe "life."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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