geologic time

noun

: the long period of time occupied by the earth's geologic history
geologic time table

Examples of geologic time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The section on geologic time explores how educators like Hitchcock described estimations of the earth’s age by delineating geologic strata in long, colorful maps, as well as painstakingly drawing assemblages of fossils to understand and disseminate the human discoveries of ancient life. Anne Wallentine, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Oct. 2024 For instance, the theory of plate tectonics—that the planet’s surface is composed of rocky plates that move around over geologic time—wasn’t widely accepted until the mid-1960s. Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2024 Research from paleoclimate scientists — who use tree rings, ice cores, lake sediments and other ancient material to understand past environments — suggests that recent heat would have been all but impossible over the last stretch of geologic time. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 23 July 2024 Furthermore, our findings support the idea that bioluminescence has been a critical form of communication through geologic time for many types of animals, particularly in the deep sea. Discover Magazine, 19 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for geologic time 

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of geologic time was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near geologic time

Cite this Entry

“Geologic time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geologic%20time. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

geologic time

noun
: the long period of time marked by events in the earth's geological history
geologic time table

More from Merriam-Webster on geologic time

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