Cretaceous Definition

krĭ-tāshəs
adjective
Designating or of the third and last geologic period of the Mesozoic Era, characterized by the formation of huge oil and chalk deposits, the development of the first flowering plants and placental mammals, and the extinction of toothed birds, ammonites, and dinosaurs.
Webster's New World
Containing, composed of, or having the nature of, chalk.
Webster's New World
noun
The Cretaceous Period.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
  • Cretaceous period
pronoun

(geology) The geologic period within the Mesozoic era that comprises lower and upper epochs from about 146 to 65 million years ago.

Wiktionary

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Cretaceous

  • the Cretaceous

Origin of Cretaceous

  • From Latin crētāceus chalky from crēta chalk from Crēta (terra) , Cretan (earth)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin crēta (“chalk”) + -āceus

    From Wiktionary

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Cretaceous