Climate History Terms

adjective relating to glaciers or ice; very slow, sluggish, or cold

• The glacial pace of the melting ice caps is a cause for concern among scientists.
• The line at the grocery store was moving at a glacial speed.
• I can't stand waiting for my food to arrive, the service here is glacial.
• His glacial demeanor made it difficult to know what he was really thinking.

noun a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 34 million years ago, characterized by the appearance of modern flora and fauna

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• The Eocene epoch is a geological period that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago.
• Hey, did you know that the Eocene era was a really long time ago?
• Back in the Eocene, things were totally different, man.
• Exploring the Eocene period is like taking a trip back in time to a whole different world.