adj · name · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈplaɪstəˌsiːn/
/-toʊ-/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P L AY1 S T AH0 S IY2 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of a geologic epoch within the Quaternary period from about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago (earlier definition 1.7 million to 11,000 years ago); marked by the evolution of man, and the extinction of the large mammals.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
The Pleistocene epoch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
from two million to 11 thousand years ago; extensive glaciation of the northern hemisphere; the time of human evolution
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Pleistocene epoch, Glacial epoch
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: epoch
History
Etymology
From Ancient Greek πλεῖστος (pleîstos, “most”) and καινός (kainós, “new”), meaning “newest”, coined by Charles Lyell in 1839. By surface analysis, containing the suffix -cene.
Across languages
Translations
26 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
pleistoseenikautinen
— of the Pleistocene epoch
French:
Pléistocène
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Georgian:
პლეისტოცენური
(ṗleisṭocenuri)
— of the Pleistocene epoch
German:
pleistozänisch
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Greek:
πλειστόκαινος
(pleistókainos)
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Italian:
pleistocene
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Polish:
plejstoceński
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Russian:
плейстоце́новый
(plejstocénovyj)
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Ukrainian:
плейстоце́новий
(plejstocénovyj)
— of the Pleistocene epoch
Catalan:
plistocè
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Chinese Mandarin:
更新世
(Gēngxīnshì)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Czech:
pleistocén
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Dutch:
pleistoceen
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Esperanto:
plejstoceno
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Estonian:
pleistotseen
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Finnish:
pleistoseenikausi
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Georgian:
პლეისტოცენი
(ṗleisṭoceni)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Georgian:
პლეისტოცენის ეპოქა
(ṗleisṭocenis eṗoka)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
German:
Pleistozän
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
German:
Eiszeitalter
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Greek:
Πλειστόκαινο
(Pleistókaino)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Italian:
Pleistocene
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Navajo:
nahasdzáán tingo siʼánę́ędą́ą́ʼ
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Polish:
plejstocen
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Russian:
плейстоце́н
(plejstocén)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
Ukrainian:
плейстоце́н
(plejstocén)
— (geology) the Pleistocene epoch
