Affixes

The ending generates adjectives for divisions of the Cenozoic period (a name that derives from the same Greek root, plus Greek zōion, animal), dating from 65 million years ago to the present day. The most recent is the Holocene (Greek holos, whole, complete), 10,000 years ago to the present day; in increasing distance back in time are the Pleistocene (Greek pleistos, most), Pliocene (Greek pleiēn, more), Miocene (Greek meiēn, less), Oligocene (Greek oligos, small, few), Eocene (Greek ēōs, dawn), and Palaeocene (US Paleocene) (Greek palaios, ancient).