Cambrian
Americanadjective
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Geology. noting or pertaining to a period of the Paleozoic Era, occurring from 570 million to 500 million years ago, when algae and marine invertebrates were the predominant form of life.
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of or relating to Cambria; Welsh.
noun
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Geology. the Cambrian Period or System.
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a native of Cambria; Welshman.
adjective
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of, denoting, or formed in the first 65 million years of the Palaeozoic era, during which marine invertebrates, esp trilobites, flourished
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of or relating to Wales
noun
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the Cambrian period or rock system
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a Welsh person
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The first period of the Paleozoic Era, from about 540 to 505 million years ago. During this time warm seas and desert land areas were widespread, and animal life diversified rapidly during what is known as the Cambrian Explosion.
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See Chart at geologic time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of Cambrian
1580–90; < Medieval Latin Cambri ( a ) Wales, Latinization of MWelsh Cymry Wales, literally Welshmen ( see Cymry) + -an
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.
The findings provide scientists with a clearer picture of the world before the Cambrian explosion and may help researchers better understand the environmental conditions that paved the way for the rise of complex animal life.
From Science Daily • May 12, 2026
Earlier studies had interpreted the marks as evidence of wormlike creatures or other tiny marine animals moving through seafloor sediment during the Ediacaran period, which came just before the Cambrian explosion.
From Science Daily • May 12, 2026
For years, scientists believed that the rapid rise of diverse and complex animals, known as the Cambrian explosion, began around 535 million years ago.
From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026
These combinations do not match any known species from either the Ediacaran or Cambrian periods.
From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026
Before the Cambrian explosion species seem to have succeeded one another rather slowly.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
