| Library / English Dictionary |
CARBONIFEROUS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
From 345 million to 280 million years ago
Synonyms:
Carboniferous; Carboniferous period
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Instance hypernyms:
geological period; period (a unit of geological time during which a system of rocks formed)
Meronyms (parts of "Carboniferous"):
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)
Holonyms ("Carboniferous" is a part of...):
Paleozoic; Paleozoic era (from 544 million to about 230 million years ago)
Derivation:
carboniferous (of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon
Synonyms:
carbonaceous; carbonic; carboniferous; carbonous
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Pertainym:
carbon (an abundant nonmetallic tetravalent element occurring in three allotropic forms: amorphous carbon and graphite and diamond; occurs in all organic compounds)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era
Example:
carboniferous rock system
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Pertainym:
Carboniferous (from 345 million to 280 million years ago)
Derivation:
Carboniferous (from 345 million to 280 million years ago)
