archean
|ar-che-an|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrkiən/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːkiən/
very ancient (geologic)
Etymology
'Archean' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'archaios', where 'archai-' meant 'ancient'.
'Archean' changed from Greek 'archaios' to New/Scientific Latin forms (e.g. 'Archaeus'/'Archeanus') and was adopted into English in the 19th century as the name for a geologic eon.
Initially it meant 'ancient' in a general sense, but over time it evolved to refer specifically to the geologic eon and the rocks and features from that interval.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the Archean eon (a division of geologic time) or rocks and formations that date from that eon, roughly 4,000 to 2,500 million years ago.
Archean rocks contain some of the oldest preserved mineral grains on Earth.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to the Archean eon; very ancient in the geological sense.
Scientists study archean strata to learn about early Earth environments.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/05 11:40