Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

cene

noun

/siːn/

Definition

A suffix used in geology to denote a geological epoch or period.

Examples

The Holocene is the current geological epoch that began approximately 11,700 years ago.
During the Pleistocene, large ice sheets covered significant parts of the Earth.

Meaning

The term ‘cene’ is often used in the names of geological epochs to signify a specific interval of time characterized by certain geological or biological conditions.