Pliocene

Meanings

1. Of a geologic epoch within the Neogene period from about 5.3 to 1.7 million years ago; marked by the appearance of humanity's first ancestors.

1. The Pliocene epoch.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πλείων (pleíōn, “more”) + καινός (kainós, “new”). Coined by English philosopher and historian of science William Whewell in 1831 for Charles Lyell, who introduced it in 1833 in his book Principles of Geology. By surface analysis, pleio- + -cene.