Paleozoic

[ pey-lee-uh-zoh-ikor, especially British, pal-ee- ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to an era occurring between 570 million and 230 million years ago, characterized by the advent of fish, insects, and reptiles.

noun

1. the Paleozoic Era or group of systems.

Paleozoic

/ pā′lē-ə-zō′ĭk /

1. The era of geologic time from about 540 to 245 million years ago. The beginning of the Paleozoic Era is characterized by a great diversity of marine invertebrate animals. Primitive fish and reptiles, land plants, and insects also first appeared during this time. The end of the Paleozoic is marked by the largest recorded mass extinction in the Earth's history, which wiped out nearly 90% of known marine life forms.
2. See Chart at geologic time

Other Words From

• post-Pa·le·o·zoic adjective
• pre-Pa·le·o·zoic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Paleozoic¹

1830–40; paleo- + -zoic < Greek zōïkós pertaining to animals; zo-, -ic

Example Sentences

Eastward tilting and deposition of Martinsburg shale; oscillations during later Paleozoic time.

From Project Gutenberg

Turning to the Paleozoic Amphibia, there are two groups in which some likelihood of a relationship with modern order exists.

From Project Gutenberg

The blastoids became more abundant in the Devonian, culminated in the Carboniferous, and disappeared at the end of the Paleozoic.

From Project Gutenberg

The deformation therefore took place about the close of the Paleozoic.

From Project Gutenberg

Evidently the lands within the Arctic Circle enjoyed a warm and genial climate, as they had done during the Paleozoic.

From Project Gutenberg