Holocene
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
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The more recent of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, beginning at the end of the last major Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago. It is characterized by the development of human civilizations.
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Also called Recent
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See Chart at geologic time
Etymology
Origin of Holocene
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the following years, that surprise broadened into a question: “What are so many dogs doing in the visual arts from the Holocene 12,000 years ago to the present?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Kikai last erupted 7,300 years ago in the most powerful eruption of the current geological epoch, the Holocene.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 29, 2026
Scientists have discovered that the magma reservoir tied to the largest volcanic eruption of the Holocene is filling again.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 29, 2026
Although the event occurred in the early Holocene epoch, when global temperatures were naturally higher than during the last Ice Age, the same physical processes are relevant today.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2025
In the recent study, published in The Holocene, Carney looked at camas bulbs from the Willamette Valley in Oregon dating back 8,000 years to determine when in their life cycle they were harvested.
From Science Daily ● May 21, 2024
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