pleistocene

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, preceding the Holocene

   Repeated glaciations shaped much of the landscape during the Pleistocene.

2. 2
   adj

   relating to or dating from the Pleistocene epoch

   The cave contained the bones of several Pleistocene mammals.

Coined by geologist Charles Lyell in 1839 from Ancient Greek pleistos ("most") + kainos ("new"), literally "most new," with -cene used in names of geological epochs.

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