carboniferous

Everyday

1. The Carboniferous was a time in Earth's history, about 359 to 299 million years ago, when huge swamp forests grew and later turned into coal. tree →
2. Containing or producing coal. tree →

In the lessons

In science and history-of-Earth lessons, the Carboniferous had giant insects, like dragonflies as big as seagulls, and forests of giant ferns. Coal mined in Britain and elsewhere formed from Carboniferous plants.

Examples

• Coal formed from plants in the Carboniferous. tree →
• Giant dragonflies lived in the Carboniferous period. tree →
• The Carboniferous was before the dinosaurs. tree →
• These carboniferous rocks contain coal. tree →
• Forests of tree ferns grew in the Carboniferous. tree →
• Amphibians were common in the Carboniferous. tree →

Note

As the name of a period, use a capital C. «Carbon-iferous» means «coal-bearing». It was long before the dinosaurs.