Eocene

/ˈiːəsiːn/

Eocene

English Adj

Definition

Of a geologic epoch within the Paleogene period from about 56 to 34 million years ago.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἠώς (ēṓs, “dawn”) + καινός (kainós, “new”) and refers to the "dawn" of modern ('new') fauna that appeared during the epoch. Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1831 for Charles Lyell, who introduced it in 1833 in his book Principles of Geology. By surface analysis, eo- + -cene.