Quaternary
- noun
- /kwəˈtɜrnəri/
- Specialized
:
Cuaternario
- During the Quaternary, many species, including woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats, roamed the Earth.
Examples
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Scientists study Quaternary geology to understand how ancient environments influenced human development.
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Good Samaritan Medical Center is a 650-bed quaternary care facility located in the Southwestern United States.
Academic text (2007) -
Quaternary deposits mantle much.
Blog text (1) -
The Quaternary period is known for the evolution of modern humans and significant climatic changes.
Synonyms
1
9.4
A time in Earth's history about the last two million years when humans lived and changed the world
The most recent part of Earth's history covering the last two million years with ice ages and humans evolving
Compounds
- Specialized
A chemical used in cleaners and medicines that kills germs and helps clean surfaces
- Specialized
The most recent part of Earth's history covering the last two million years with ice ages and humans evolving
Surface Forms
Morphology
Quaternary = quatern + ary
The element 'quatern-' is a learned Latin combining form (not a productive, recognizable English base like 'four'), so learners cannot derive the specialized geological meaning from its parts.
Etymology
Quaternary comes from the Latin root quatern- meaning 'four', the same idea you see in quarter or quartet. It was named as the 'fourth' major division of Earth's history, so Quaternary now means the most recent geological period, including the present day.