Archæan

A form of archaean — Of or relating to Arche, the Muse of beginnings in Greek mythology.

Meanings

adjectiveArchæan (comparative more Archæan, superlative most Archæan)

comparative more Archæan · superlative most Archæan

  1. archaicArchaic form of Archaean.
proper noun
  1. archaicArchaic form of Archaean.
    1 more example

    The whole history of the earth is divided into five eras, with corresponding rock-systems. These are: 1. Archæan or Eozoic¹ era, embodied in the Laurentian system; 2. Palæozoic² era, embodied in the Palæozoic or Primary system; 3. Mesozoic³ era, recorded in the Secondary system; 4. Cenozoic,⁴ recorded in the Tertiary and Quaternary systems; and, 5. The Psychozoic era, or era of Mind, recorded in the recent system.

    1883, Joseph Le Conte, Elements of Geology: A Text-book for Colleges and for the General Reader, New York: D. Appleton and Company
Cite this entry
APA

Archæan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Arch%C3%A6an

MLA

“Archæan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Arch%C3%A6an. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Archæan,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Arch%C3%A6an.

Source: Archæan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.