Archaean

See also: archaean and Archæan

English

Alternative forms

• Archean
• Archæan (archaic)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀρχαῖα (arkhaîa, “ancient”), neuter plural of ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos, “ancient”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɑːˈkiːən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɑɹˈkiːən/
• Rhymes: -iən

Adjective

Archaean (not comparable)

1. (mythology) Of or relating to Arche, the Muse of beginnings in Greek mythology.
2. (geology) Of, or relating to the geologic eon from about 4,031 to 2,500 million years ago; comprises the Eoarchean, Paleoarchean, Mesoarchean and Neoarchean eras; marked by an atmosphere with little oxygen, the formation of the first continents and oceans and the emergence of simple life.
   • 2006 March 25, NewScientist, page 12/1:

     The oldest vestiges of continental crust, which date from the Archaean aeon about 4 billion years ago, are in Acasta in north-west Canada.

3. (astronomy, "Archean" only) Of or relating to the irregular Jovian moon named for Arche.

Translations

of eon from 3,800 to 2,500 million years ago

Catalan: arqueà Chinese: Mandarin: 太古代的 (Tàigǔdài de) Danish: arkeisk Finnish: arkeeinen (fi) Greek: αρχαιοζωικός (el) (archaiozoïkós) Irish: Aircéach Italian: archeano (it) Kazakh: архей (arxei) Norwegian: Bokmål: arkeisk Nynorsk: arkeisk Portuguese: arqueano Russian: архе́йский (ru) (arxéjskij) Spanish: arcaico (es) Swedish: arkeisk (sv)

Proper noun

Archaean

1. (geology) The eon from 2,500 Ma to 4,000 Ma.

Hypernyms

• (eon 2,500–4,000 Ma): Precambrian

Hyponyms

• (eon 2,500–4,000 Ma): Eoarchaean, Paleoarchaean, Mesoarchaean, Neoarchaean

Coordinate terms

• (eon 2,500–4,000 Ma): Hadean, Proterozoic - eons in Precambrian

Translations

Archaean eon

Catalan: arqueà m Chinese: Mandarin: 太古代 (zh) (Tàigǔdài) Czech: prahory f pl, archaikum n Dutch: archeïcum (nl) n, archaïcum (nl) n Estonian: arhaikum, ürgaegkond, ürgeoon Finnish: arkeeinen aioni Greek: Αρχαιοζωικός m (Archaiozoïkós) Hungarian: archaikum (hu) Polish: archaik (pl) Portuguese: Arqueano m Russian: архе́й (ru) m (arxéj) Spanish: Arcaico m Swedish: arkeikum (sv) c

See also

• Appendix:Geologic timescale

Further reading

• Archaean on Wikipedia.Wikipedia