Miocene

[ mahy-uh-seen ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to an epoch of the Tertiary Period, occurring from 25 to 10 million years ago, when grazing mammals became widespread.

noun

1. the Miocene Epoch or Series.

Miocene

/ ˈmaɪəˌsiːn /

adjective

1. 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

1. the Miocene
   the Miocene this epoch or rock series

Miocene

/ mī′ə-sēn′ /

1. 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.
2. See Chart at geologic time

Other Words From

• post-Mio·cene adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Miocene¹

First recorded in 1825–35; mio- (from Greek meíōn “less”) + -cene

Word History and Origins

Origin of Miocene¹

C19: from Greek meiōn less + -cene

Example Sentences

The ursids roamed the forested and swampy areas of Europe nearly 6 million years ago in the Miocene epoch.

From Popular-Science

Since the flat was discovered, paleontologists have catalogued more than 2,000 fossils from the Miocene, an epoch that stretches from 23 to 5 million years ago.

From Popular-Science

The new tardigrade fossil, Paradoryphoribius chronocaribbeus, dates back to the Miocene, about 16 million years ago.

From Popular-Science

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