Eocene

E1O1C3E1N1E1
/ˈiːəsiːn/

adjective

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

OriginAncient Greek ἠώς →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

adjectiveEocene (not comparable)
  1. not comparablegeographyOf a geologic epoch within the Paleogene period from about 56 to 34 million years ago.
proper noun
  1. geographyThe Eocene epoch.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἠώς“dawn”
  2. EnglishEocene

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.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan eocènic, eocè
  • eocènicof the Eocene epoch
  • eocèof the Eocene epoch
  • EocèEocene epoch
Czech eocén
  • eocénEocene epoch
Dutch eoceen
  • eoceenEocene epoch
Estonian eotseen
  • eotseenEocene epoch
Finnish eoseenikautinen, eoseenikausi
  • eoseenikautinenof the Eocene epoch
  • eoseenikausiEocene epoch
French éocène
  • éocèneof the Eocene epoch
German eozän, Eozän
  • eozänof the Eocene epoch
  • EozänEocene epoch
Greek Ηώκαινο
  • Ηώκαινο (Iókaino)Eocene epoch
Polish eoceński, eocen
  • eoceńskiof the Eocene epoch
  • eocenEocene epoch
Portuguese eoceno, Eoceno
  • eocenoof the Eocene epoch
  • EocenoEocene epoch
Spanish Eoceno
  • EocenoEocene epoch
Swedish eocen
  • eocenEocene epoch
Cite this entry
APA

Eocene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Eocene

MLA

“Eocene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Eocene. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Eocene,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Eocene.

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