geochronology

noun

geo·​chro·​nol·​o·​gy ˌjē-ō-krə-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce geochronology (audio)
1
: the chronology of the past as indicated by geologic data
2
: the study of geochronology
geochronological adjective
or less commonly geochronologic
geochronologically adverb
geochronologist noun

Examples of geochronology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Then again, the best samples for geochronology may not be best for preserving signs of life. Corey S. Powell, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2021 The thickness of the crust suggested the tusk was old, but to find out exactly how old, Dr. Blackburn, whose lab at Santa Cruz specializes in geochronology, studied the decay of radioactive materials in samples of the original tusk tip retrieved in 2019. New York Times, 22 Nov. 2021 Evolution of an upper crustal plutonic-volcanic plumbing system: Insights from high-precision U-Pb zircon geochronology of the intracaldera tuff and intrusions in Silver Creek caldera, Arizona, USA by T. Zhang and others. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2010 Paleontologists and other researchers using chronostratigraphy, or its twin, geochronology, typically report results based on stage (or age) rather than a larger unit. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2019 Well, geochronology lies in the realm of planetary evolution, understanding what the interior of Mars is made of and how that's evolved over time. Corey S. Powell, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2021 The field of geochronology is dedicated to dating Earth’s geologic materials. New York Times, 20 July 2021 Baleka and her colleagues used a variety of techniques to study the rate at which the species' ancestors became dwarves, including paleogenetics, geochronology and other dating methods. Jeanne Timmons New York Times, Star Tribune, 17 July 2021 Herries, who specializes in geochronology, says the Drimolen site is a bit different. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'geochronology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of geochronology was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near geochronology

Cite this Entry

“Geochronology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geochronology. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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