geochronology

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Pre-Greek der. Proto-Hellenic *gayader. Ancient Greek γαῖᾰ (gaîă)clip. Ancient Greek γῆ (gê) Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-) Ancient Greek γεω- (geō-)der. English geo- Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos)bor. English chrono- Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -λογῐ́ᾱ (-logĭ́ā)bor. Latin -logialbor. French -logiebor. English -logy English chronology English geochronology From geo- + chronology.

1. The science of dating samples of rock or sediment.

   “Geochronology allows us to see more precisely how the world has evolved.”

2. Any one of the methods by which the age of different samples of rock can be determined.

   “The history of the East–Antarctic shield has been uncovered through uranium–lead geochronology.”

3. The division of ancient time into named subdivisions / periods