Pleistocene

Pleis·to·cene  (plst-sn)

adj.

Of or belonging to the geologic time, rock series, or sedimentary deposits of the earlier of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, characterized by the alternate appearance and recession of northern glaciation, the appearance and worldwide spread of hominids, and the extinction of numerous land mammals, such as the mammoths, mastodons, and saber-toothed tigers. See Table at geologic time.

n.

The Pleistocene Epoch or its system of deposits.

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[Greek pleistos, most; see pel-¹ in Indo-European roots + -cene.]

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Pleistocene [ˈplaɪstəˌsiːn]

adj

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) of, denoting, or formed in the first epoch of the Quaternary period, which lasted for about 1 600 000 years. It was characterized by extensive glaciations of the N hemisphere and the evolutionary development of man

n

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

[from Greek pleistos most + kainos recent]

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Pleistocene  (plst-sn)

The earlier of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, from about 2 million to 10,000 years ago. The Pleistocene Epoch was characterized by the formation of widespread glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere and by the appearance of humans. Mammals included both small forms, such as saber-toothed tigers and horses and giant ones, such as mammoths and mastodons. Almost all the giant mammals, including woolly mammoths, giant wolves, giant ground sloths, and massive wombats disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene and the start of the Holocene. See Chart at geologic time.

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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.

Pleistocene - from two million to 11 thousand years ago; extensive glaciation of the northern hemisphere; the time of human evolution Pleistocene epoch, Glacial epoch Age of Man, Quaternary, Quaternary period - last 2 million years

Translations

Pleistocene

n → Pleistozän nt

adj → pleistozän, Pleistozän-; Pleistocene period → Pleistozänzeit f