Cretaceous
adjective
Cre·ta·ceous
kri-ˈtā-shəs 
: of, relating to, or being the last period of the Mesozoic era characterized by continued dominance of reptiles, emergent dominance of angiosperms, diversification of mammals, and the extinction of many types of organisms at the close of the period
also
: of, relating to, or being the corresponding system of rocks see Geologic Time Table
Cretaceous
noun
Examples of Cretaceous in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This unusual species roamed Australia during the Cretaceous period.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2024
Although there is some idea of what happened to their teeth, the fate of the diverse species of Cretaceous monotremes, which were not only toothy but mostly larger than the modern platypus and echidna, remains unknown.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 7 June 2024
The sparkle comes from fragments of fossilized clams and snails that lived and died in Cretaceous ponds and lakes.
—Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024
New skulls and skeletons of the Cretaceous legged snake Najash, and the evolution of the modern snake body plan
Paleontology and Evolutionary Science.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for Cretaceous 
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2024
Although there is some idea of what happened to their teeth, the fate of the diverse species of Cretaceous monotremes, which were not only toothy but mostly larger than the modern platypus and echidna, remains unknown.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 7 June 2024
The sparkle comes from fragments of fossilized clams and snails that lived and died in Cretaceous ponds and lakes.
—Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024
New skulls and skeletons of the Cretaceous legged snake Najash, and the evolution of the modern snake body plan
Paleontology and Evolutionary Science.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for Cretaceous
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Cretaceous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Cretaceous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cretaceous. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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Cretaceous
adjective
Cre·ta·ceous
kri-ˈtā-shəs
: of, relating to, or being the last period of the Mesozoic era of geological history marked by the extinction of the dinosaurs at the close of the period
also
: relating to the corresponding system of rocks see geologic time
Cretaceous
noun
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