Neogene

adjective

Neo·​gene ˈnē-ə-ˌjēn How to pronounce Neogene (audio)
: of, relating to, or being the later portion of the Tertiary including the Miocene and Pliocene or the corresponding system of rocks
Neogene noun

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Neogen, noun (originally usually in compounds, as Neogen-Epoche, Neogenformation), from neo- neo- + -gen, borrowed from Greek -genēs "being born, arising" — more at -gen

Note: German Neogen was introduced by the Austrian paleontologist Moritz Hörnes (1815-68). He explained the name as follows (in "Mittheilungen an Professor Bronn gerichtet," "Wien, 3. Okt. 1853," Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie, Geognosie und Petrefakten-Kunde, Jahrgang 1853, p. 806): "Das häufige Vorkommen der Wiener Mollusken sowohl in der typisch-meiocänen als in den typisch-pleiocänen Ablagerungen veranlasste mich, um das ewige Einerlei bei Angabe des Vorkommen zu vermeiden, beide Anlagerungen vorläufig unter den Namen N e o g e n (νεος neu und γιγνομαι entstehen) im trennenden Gegensatze zu den eocänen zusammenfassen." ("The frequent occurrence of Vienna mollusks in typical Miocene as well as in typical Pliocene deposits induced me—in order to avoid the perpetual monotony [of citing] details about their occurrence—to subsume both deposits provisionally under the name Neogene (neos new and gignomai to arise) in marked contrast to the Eocene.")

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Neogene was in 1859

Rhymes for Neogene

See All Rhymes for Neogene

Browse Nearby Words

neogamy
Neogene
Neognathae
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Neogene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Neogene. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
pastel colored puzzle piece speech bubbles with shadows
Quiz: Find the Missing Link Figure out the word that fits both halves of the ...
See All