Cambrian

adjective

Cam·​bri·​an ˈkam-brē-ən  ˈkām- 

1

: welsh

2

: of, relating to, or being the earliest geologic period of the Paleozoic era or the corresponding system of rocks marked by fossils of nearly every major invertebrate animal group see Geologic Time Table

Cambrian noun

Examples of Cambrian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hedge funds were then in their second of three Cambrian explosions; according to one estimate, a thousand new funds formed following the 1987 stock-market crash. — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026

Mike Hennessy, 71, is a 26-year Cambrian resident with four decades of experience running an auto repair and restoration business. — Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026

Found in the MacKenzie Mountains in Canada, the new fossils provide a rare window into the Ediacaran, a geological period that precedes the Cambrian explosion of biological diversity. — Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 20 May 2026

Hennessy, 71, is a 26-year resident of the Cambrian area who runs an auto shop and works as a civic organizer and television host. — Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 6 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin Cambria Wales, from Middle Welsh Cymry Wales, Welshmen

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Cambrian

• precambrian

Kids Definition

Cambrian

adjective

Cam·​bri·​an ˈkam-brē-ən  ˈkām- 

: of, relating to, or being the earliest period of the Paleozoic era of geological history or the corresponding system of rocks marked by fossils of nearly every major invertebrate animal group see geologic time

Cambrian noun