Neogene

[ nee-uh-jeen ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to an interval of time corresponding to the Miocene and Pliocene epochs and accorded the status of a period when the Tertiary is considered an era. Compare Paleogene.

noun

1. the Neogene Period or System.

Neogene

/ ˈniːəˌdʒiːn /

adjective

1. of, denoting, or formed during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs

noun

1. the Neogene
   the Neogene period or system

Neogene

/ nē′ō-jēn′ /

1. The youngest of two subdivisions of the Tertiary Period, including the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Neogene¹

1855–60; neo- + -gene ( -gen )

Example Sentences

It was a geologic table: Triassic and Neogene.

From New York Times

In 2004, the Quaternary period was unceremoniously jettisoned and the preceding period, the Neogene, extended to cover its 1.8m years.

From The Guardian

Having now “lost” millions of years, Neogene scientists were incandescent.

From The Guardian

In some books, too, you will find the tertiary and quaternary taken out and replaced by periods of different lengths called the Palaeogene and Neogene.

From Literature

Jernvall, J. & Fortelius, M. Common mammals drive the evolutionary increase of hypsodonty in the Neogene.

From Nature