Phanerozoic
Syllabification: (Phan·er·o·zo·ic)
Pronunciation: /ˌfanərəˈzōik/
Definition of Phanerozoic
adjective
Geology- of, relating to, or denoting the eon covering the whole of time since the beginning of the Cambrian period, and comprising the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Compare with Cryptozoic.
The Phanerozoic began about 570 million years ago and covers the period in which rocks contain evidence of abundant life in the form of macroscopic mineralized fossils
Origin:
late 19th century: from Greek phaneros 'visible, evident' + zōion 'animal' + -ic