non-carboniferous
|non-car-bon-i-fer-ous|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˌkɑɹbəˈnɪfɹəs/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˌkɑːbəˈnɪfrəs/
not coal-bearing / not of the Carboniferous period
Etymology
'non-carboniferous' is formed by the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') attached to 'carboniferous'. 'Carboniferous' itself derives from Latin 'carbo' meaning 'coal' plus the suffix '-ferous' from Latin 'ferre' meaning 'to bear' ('coal-bearing').
'Carboniferous' was coined in scientific usage (New Latin/English) in the 19th century to describe coal-bearing strata and the geological period; the prefix 'non-' was later attached in English to form 'non-carboniferous' to indicate the absence of that property or relation.
Originally 'carboniferous' meant 'bearing coal' (or relating to coal-bearing strata); 'non-carboniferous' initially and chiefly means 'not bearing coal' and has been extended to mean 'not of or relating to the Carboniferous period' in geological contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not of, relating to, or belonging to the Carboniferous period (geological).
The paleontologists identified non-carboniferous strata above the coal seam.
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Adjective 2
not coal-bearing; lacking significant coal or carboniferous (coal-producing) material.
The sedimentary sequence includes several non-carboniferous layers with low organic content.
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Last updated: 2025/10/09 18:28