Miocene

Mi·o·cene  (m-sn)

adj.

Of or belonging to the geologic time, rock series, or sedimentary deposits of the fourth epoch of the Tertiary Period, characterized by the development of grasses and grazing mammals. See Table at geologic time.

n.

The Miocene Epoch or its system of deposits.

---

[Greek mein, less; see mei-² in Indo-European roots + -cene.]

---

Miocene [ˈmaɪəˌsiːn]

adj

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) of, denoting, or formed in the fourth epoch of the Tertiary period, between the Oligocene and Pliocene epochs, which lasted for 19 million years

n

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) the. this epoch or rock series

[from Greek meiōn less + -cene]

---

Miocene  (m-sn)

The fourth epoch of the Tertiary Period, from about 24 to 5 million years ago. During this time the climate was warmer than it had been in the Oligocene, and kelp forests and grasslands first developed. With the isolation of Antarctica, a circumpolar ocean current was established in the southern Hemisphere, reducing the amount of mixing of cold polar water and warm equatorial water and causing a buildup of ice sheets in Antarctica. The African-Arabian plate became connected to Asia, closing the seaway which had previously separated Africa from Asia. Mammalian diversity was at its peak. See Chart at geologic time.

---

Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene, Oligocene - Pleistocene means "most recent," Pliocene means "more recent," Miocene means "moderately recent," and Oligocence means "but a little recent."

See also related terms for recent.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Miocene - from 25 million to 13 million years ago; appearance of grazing mammals Miocene epoch Tertiary, Tertiary period - from 63 million to 2 million years ago

Translations

Miocene [ˈmaɪəsiːn]

A. ADJ → mioceno

B. N → mioceno m