Etymology of Names on the Timeline of Life

Eras
Paleozoic: paleo from the Greek meaning ancient; zoic from the Greek meaning animal
Mesozoic: meso from the Greek meaning middle; zoic from the Greek meaning animal
Cenozoic: ceni from the Greek meaning recent; zoic from the Greek meaning animal
Neozoic: neo from the Greek meaning new; zoic from the Greek meaning animal

Periods
Cambrian: from an area in England named Cambria
Ordovician: named after an ancient Celtic tribe in Wales called the Ordovices
Silurian: named after a tribe in southeast Wales called Silures and their rock formations
Devonian: named after fossils found in Devon, England
Carboniferous: carbon is from the Latin carbo meaning charcoal; ferrous is from the Latin ferre meaning to
carry, to bear
Permian: named after an area in Russia called Perm where rocks were formed in this period
Triassic: rocks formed in this period; a certain strata that has different types
Jurrassic: named after the Jura mountains found along the France-Swiss border
Cretaceous: containing chalk; creta is from the Latin creta meaning chalk; -aceous from the Latin aceus
meaning of a special kind
Paleocine: paleo is from the Greek meaning ancient; -cene meaning new, fresh, recent
Eocene: from the Greek meaning recent, dawn
Oligocene: oligo is from the Greek oligos meaning few, little; -cene meaning new, fresh, recent
Pliocene: plio from the Greek meaning more; -cene meaning new, fresh, recent

© Maria Montessori Institute 2016

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