PROTEROZOIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Proterozoic mean? 

• PROTEROZOIC (noun)
  The noun PROTEROZOIC has 1 sense:

1. from 2,500 to 544 million years ago; bacteria and fungi; primitive multicellular organisms

  Familiarity information: PROTEROZOIC used as a noun is very rare.

• PROTEROZOIC (adjective)
  The adjective PROTEROZOIC has 1 sense:

1. formed in the later of two divisions of the Precambrian era

  Familiarity information: PROTEROZOIC used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROTEROZOIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

From 2,500 to 544 million years ago; bacteria and fungi; primitive multicellular organisms

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

Proterozoic; Proterozoic aeon; Proterozoic eon

Instance hypernyms:

aeon; eon (the longest division of geological time)

Holonyms ("Proterozoic" is a part of...):

Precambrian; Precambrian aeon; Precambrian eon; Precambrian period (the eon following the Hadean time and preceding the Phanerozoic eon; from about 3,800 million years ago until 544 million years ago)

Derivation:

proterozoic (formed in the later of two divisions of the Precambrian era)

• PROTEROZOIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Formed in the later of two divisions of the Precambrian era

Context example:

proterozoic life forms

Similar:

early (at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time)

Domain category:

geology (a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks)

Derivation:

Proterozoic (from 2,500 to 544 million years ago; bacteria and fungi; primitive multicellular organisms)