Proterozoic

American  

[prot-er-uh-zoh-ik, proh-ter-] / ˌprɒt ər əˈzoʊ ɪk, ˌproʊ tər- /

noun

1. the longest geologic eon and the most recent division of Precambrian time, during which the presence of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere became significant, causing certain life forms to adapt to the use of oxygen and leading to a proliferation of complex multicellular life.

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adjective

1. of or relating to this eon.

Proterozoic British  

/ ˌprəʊtərəʊˈzəʊɪk /

noun

1. the later of two divisions of the Precambrian era, during which the earliest plants and animals are assumed to have lived Compare Archaeozoic

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adjective

1. of or formed in the late Precambrian era

Proterozoic Scientific  

/ prŏt′ər-ə-zō′ĭk /

1. The later of the two divisions of the Precambrian Eon, from about 2.5 billion to 540 million years ago. The Proterozoic was characterized by the formation of stable continents, the appearance of abundant bacteria and archaea, and the buildup of oxygen in the atmosphere. By about 1.8 billion years ago the oxygen buildup was significant enough to cause many types of bacteria to die out. At this time eukaryotes, including multicellular algae and the first animals, first appear in the fossil record.

2. See Chart at geologic time

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Etymology

Origin of Proterozoic

First recorded in 1905–10; protero- + zo- + -ic

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Proterozoic

An earlier study, published in January in Nature Geoscience, used the same technique to show that tropical oceans during the Proterozoic Eon were rich in oxygen.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

It formed about 1 billion years ago and broke up at the end of the Proterozoic, about 750-600 million years ago.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

By the Proterozoic eon, lithospheric plates had formed and started moving according to plate tectonic motions similar to today.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

The Archean eon spans 2.5 to 3.8 billion years ago, and the Proterozoic spans 570 million to 2.5 billion years ago.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

Others divide the Precambrian into two eras, the very ancient Archean and the more recent Proterozoic.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson