CARBONIFEROUS

carbonaceous, carbonous, carbonic, carboniferous

(adjective) relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon

carboniferous

(adjective) of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era; “carboniferous rock system”

Carboniferous, Carboniferous period

(noun) from 345 million to 280 million years ago

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

carboniferous (comparative more carboniferous, superlative most carboniferous)

Containing or producing carbon.

Adjective

Carboniferous (not comparable)

(geology) of a geologic period within the Paleozoic era; comprises the lower, middle and upper Mississippian and lower, middle and upper Pennsylvanian epochs from about 345 to 280 million years ago, when coal was laid down

Proper noun

Carboniferous

(geology) the Carboniferous period

Source: Wiktionary

Car`bon*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Carbon + -ferous.]

Definition: Producing or containing carbon or coal. Carboniferous age (Geol.), the age immediately following the Devonian, or Age of fishes, and characterized by the vegatation which formed the coal beds. This age embraces three periods, the Subcarboniferous, the Carboniferous, and Permian. See Age of acrogens, under Acrogen.

– Carboniferous formation (Geol.), the series of rocks (including sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates, with beds of coal) which make up the strata of the Carboniferous age or period. See the Diagram under Geology.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition