Advertisement
Advertisement
Miocene
[ mahy-uh-seen ]
adjective
- noting or pertaining to an epoch of the Tertiary Period, occurring from 25 to 10 million years ago, when grazing mammals became widespread.
noun
- the Miocene Epoch or Series.
Miocene
/ ˈmaɪəˌsiːn /
adjective
- of, denoting, or formed in the fourth epoch of the Tertiary period, between the Oligocene and Pliocene epochs, which lasted for 19 million years
noun
- the Miocenethis epoch or rock series
Miocene
/ mī′ə-sēn′ /
- 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
Discover More
Other Words From
- post-Mio·cene adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of Miocene1
C19: from Greek meiōn less + -cene
Discover More
Example Sentences
It may have been as far back as the early Pliocene or the late Miocene Period, or even earlier.
From Project Gutenberg
Seemingly chipped stones have been found that belong to the remote Miocene geological age.
From Project Gutenberg
The present physical geography of considerable parts of Britain must date from Miocene times.
From Project Gutenberg
Disturbances culminating in Miocene times once more produced terrestrial conditions.
From Project Gutenberg
This accounts for the fact that it contains remains of Miocene animals, such as teeth of the Hipparion, or ancestor of the horse.
From Project Gutenberg
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse