Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or being the geologic time period between Hadean Time and the Cambrian Period, often subdivided into the Archean and Proterozoic Eras, comprising most of the earth's history and marked by the appearance of primitive forms of life.
  • noun The Precambrian Eon.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Noting rocks older than the Cambrian or first fossiliferous strata: used by many writers as preferable to azoic, eozoic, archæan, primitive, etc, because it is non-committal.
  • noun Precambrian strata.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective informal (geology) Relating to the eons before the Phanerozoic

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the eon following the Hadean time and preceding the Phanerozoic eon; from about 3,800 million years ago until 544 million years ago

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The Canadian Shield (aka the Precambrian Shield, or Laurentian Shield) is the Precambrian rock that covers about 8 million square kilometers of Eastern and Central Canada.

    2009 July « Mudpuddle 2009

  • The Canadian Shield (aka the Precambrian Shield, or Laurentian Shield) is the Precambrian rock that covers about 8 million square kilometers of Eastern and Central Canada.

    2009 July 18 « Mudpuddle 2009

  • The Canadian Shield (aka the Precambrian Shield, or Laurentian Shield) is the Precambrian rock that covers about 8 million square kilometers of Eastern and Central Canada.

    PhotoHunter: “Rock” « Mudpuddle 2009

  • The Proterozoic, Archean and Hadean are often collectively referred to as Precambrian Time, and sometimes also as the Cryptozoic.

    Table of geologic time - The Panda's Thumb 2005

  • The first 3 eons are part of a time interval known as Precambrian time  4 billion-year interval with very few fossils.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows rcooperfreeport 2010

  • (551-2500 million yrs BP) Also known as Precambrian Eukaryotic cell organisms develop.

    Geologic time 2010

  • I mean it is Pretty Freakin’ Classified and though we have been called a Precambrian Folklore Collection some think we are more like a Positive Frenzied Circasaurus.

    PFC Performing Arts group in Norman, OK 2009

  • I mean it is Pretty Freakin’ Classified and though we have been called a Precambrian Folklore Collection some think we are more like a Positive Frenzied Circasaurus.

    Nina Simone: I got…my boobies! 2009

  • Paleobotany: Sedimentary rocks show pollen in very deep, "Precambrian" strata.

    CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] 2010

  • Paleobotany: Sedimentary rocks show pollen in very deep, "Precambrian" strata.

    CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] 2010

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