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holocene

 - 7 dictionary results

Hol⋅o⋅cene

  [hol-uh-seen, hoh-luh-] Geology
Use holocene in a Sentence
–adjective
1. recent (def. 4).
–noun
2. recent (def. 5).
Origin:
1895–1900; holo- + -cene

re⋅cent

  [ree-suhnt]
–adjective
1. of late occurrence, appearance, or origin; lately happening, done, made, etc.: recent events; a recent trip.
2. not long past: in recent years.
3. of or belonging to a time not long past.
4. (initial capital letter) Geology. noting or pertaining to the present epoch, originating at the end of the glacial period, about 10,000 years ago, and forming the latter half of the Quaternary Period; Holocene.
–noun
5. Also called Holocene. (initial capital letter) Geology. the Recent Epoch or Series.
Origin:
1525–35; < L recent- (s. of recēns) fresh, new

Related forms:
re⋅cen⋅cy, re⋅cent⋅ness, noun
re⋅cent⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. fresh, new. See modern.

Antonyms:
1. early, old.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To holocene
Hol·o·cene   (hŏl'ə-sēn', hō'lə-)   
adj.  Of or belonging to the geologic time, rock series, or sedimentary deposits of the more recent of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, beginning at the end of the last Ice Age about 11,000 years ago and characterized by the development of human civilizations. See Table at geologic time.
n.  The Holocene Epoch or its system of deposits.
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

recent 
1533, from L. recentem (nom. recens) "lately done or made, new, fresh," from re- + PIE base *ken- "fresh, new, young" (cf. Gk. kainos "new;" Skt. kanina- "young;" O.Ir. cetu- "first;" O.C.S. na-cino "to begin," koni "beginning.").

Holocene 
"epoch that began 10,000 years ago and continues today," 1897, from Fr. holocène (1867), from Gk. holo-, comb. form of holos "whole" (see safe (adj.)) + kainos "new, recent."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Science Dictionary
Holocene   (hŏl'ə-sēn', hō'lə-sēn')  Pronunciation Key 
The more recent of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, beginning at the end of the last major Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago. It is characterized by the development of human civilizations. Also called Recent. See Chart at geologic time.
Recent   (rē'sənt)  Pronunciation Key 
See Holocene.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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