Proterozoic
/ˌprɒtərəˈzəʊɪk/adjective
1- Geology of, relating to, or denoting the aeon that constitutes the later part of the Precambrian, between the Archaean aeon and the Cambrian period, in which the earliest forms of life evolved【地质】元古代的; 元古代岩的。
1.1
- as noun
the Proterozoic
the Proterozoic aeon or the system of rocks deposited during it元古代; 元古代岩系。
The Proterozoic lasted from about 2,500 to 570 million years ago. For millions of years only bacteria and single-celled organisms existed, and the early invertebrates that followed were soft-bodied and rarely left any trace in the form of fossils.
词源
late 19th cent.: from Greek proteros 'former' + zōē 'life', zōos 'living' + -IC.