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Glite Dictionary
Paleocene epoch

Paleocene epoch

9.9
A time 66 to 56 million years ago after the dinosaurs died when early mammals and birds first appeared
  • noun
  • /ˈpeɪliəˌsiːn ˈɛpɒk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : época paleocena
  • The Paleocene epoch, which occurred between 66 and 56 million years ago, saw the emergence of early mammals and birds as dominant forms of life.

Examples

  • Fossils from the Paleocene epoch show that mammals began to thrive and diversify after the extinction of the dinosaurs.

  • Back when mammals got their big break—during the Paleocene epoch, which lasted ten million years—conditions around the globe were warm and humid.

    Academic text (2008)

  • During the Paleocene epoch, the Earth experienced a warm climate that provided ideal conditions for the evolution of diverse species.

Synonyms

Paleocene
vsPaleocene epoch
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A period 66 to 56 million years ago after dinosaurs died when mammals and birds became more common

is the fuller formal name that includes the geological time term

Surface Forms

Paleocene epoch singular
Paleocene epochs plural

Morphology

Paleocene + epoch

This phrase is a straightforward compositional name: 'Paleocene' is the specific epoch name and 'epoch' denotes a geological time unit. If a B1 learner knows both constituent meanings, the overall meaning (the Paleocene geological epoch) is directly derivable, so it is transparent.

Etymology

Paleocene epoch gets its name from Greek parts paleo- meaning 'old' and -cene meaning 'new', pointing to the early 'new' time after the dinosaurs died. That's why the name fits: it was the older part of the new age when early mammals and birds began to appear.