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Glite Dictionary
Ordovician period

Ordovician period

9.5
A time about 485 to 444 million years ago when many sea animals lived
  • noun
  • /ˌɔrdəˈvɪʃən ˈpɪrɪəd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : período ordovícico
  • Geologists study rock layers from the Ordovician period to understand Earth's ancient environments.

Examples

  • The Ordovician period was marked by significant diversification of invertebrate animals.

  • Many fossils from the Ordovician period have been discovered in North America.

  • Fossils from the Ordovician period show an abundance of marine life forms.

  • The Ordovician period lasted from about 485 to 444 million years ago.

  • The Ordovician period was marked by a rich diversity of marine life, evident in the fossil record.

  • During the Ordovician period, many new types of organisms began to appear in the oceans.

  • Geologists study rock layers from the Ordovician period to understand ancient marine ecosystems.

Synonyms

Ordovician
vsOrdovician period
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A time about 485 to 444 million years ago when many sea animals lived

is the full phrase used to name that geological time formally

Surface Forms

Ordovician period singular
Ordovician periods plural

Morphology

Ordovician + period

The phrase simply names a geological time interval: 'Ordovician' is the specific name of a geological stage and 'period' denotes a measured interval, so the combined meaning is directly predictable from the parts. This follows a common naming pattern for geological eras/periods that is cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would understand it.

Etymology

Ordovician period gets its name from the Ordovices, an old tribe who lived in what is now Wales. A geologist in the 1800s used their name because he found many sea fossils in those rocks, so Ordovician period today means the 'time' when many early marine animals lived.