Phanerozoic

Phan·e·ro·zo·ic  (fnr--zk)

adj.

Of or relating to the geologic time period from approximately 570 million years ago to the present, comprising the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, and marked by an abundance of fossil evidence of life, especially higher forms, in the corresponding rocks. See Table at geologic time.

n.

The Phanerozoic Eon.

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[Greek phaneros, visible (from phainein, to cause to appear; see bh-¹ in Indo-European roots) + -zoic.]

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Phanerozoic [ˌfænərəˈzəʊɪk]

adj

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) of or relating to that part of geological time represented by rocks in which the evidence of life is abundant, comprising the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras

n

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) the. the Phanerozoic era Compare Cryptozoic

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Phanerozoic  (fnr--zk)

The period of geologic time from about 540 million years ago to the present, including the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras. When this period of time was first defined, it was thought to coincide with the first appearance of life in the fossil record. It is now known that bacterial and other forms of life were present in the Precambrian Eon, and the Phanerozoic is understood to coincide with the appearance of life forms that evolved external skeletons. See Chart at geologic time.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Phanerozoic - the period from about 5,400 million years ago until the present Phanerozoic aeon, Phanerozoic eon Age of Mammals, Cenozoic, Cenozoic era - approximately the last 63 million years