Carboniferous

Car·bon·if·er·ous  (kärb-nfr-s)

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.

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carboniferous

Adjective

yielding coal or carbon

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Carboniferous

Adjective

Geol of the period of geological time about 330 million years ago, during which coal seams were formed

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Carboniferous  (kärb-nfr-s)

The period of geologic time from about 360 to 286 million years ago. The term is used throughout the world, although this period of time has been separated into the Mississippian (lower Carboniferous) and Pennsylvanian (upper Carboniferous) in the United States. During this time, widespread swamps formed in which plant remains accumulated and later hardened into coal. See Chart at geologic time.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Carboniferous - from 345 million to 280 million years ago Carboniferous period Paleozoic, Paleozoic era - from 544 million to about 230 million years ago Pennsylvanian, Pennsylvanian period, Upper Carboniferous, Upper Carboniferous period - from 310 million to 280 million years ago; warm climate; swampy land Lower Carboniferous, Lower Carboniferous period, Missippian period, Mississippian - from 345 million to 310 million years ago; increase of land areas; primitive ammonites; winged insects
Adj.	1.	carboniferous - of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era; "carboniferous rock system"
	2.	carboniferous - relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon carbonaceous, carbonic, carbonous