How Do You Spell ORDOVICIAN PERIOD?

Pronunciation: [ˌɔːdəvˈɪʃən pˈi͡əɹɪəd] (IPA)

The Ordovician Period is a geologic period that occurred about 485 to 443 million years ago. The term "Ordovician" is pronounced as [ɔːrˈdəʊvɪʃən] or OR-doh-vish-uhn. The "O" is pronounced as "aw," while the "r" is silent. The "dov" is pronounced with a short "o," and the "i" after "c" is pronounced as "ee." Finally, the "an" is pronounced as "uhn." The word derives from the ancient Celtic tribe of the Ordovices, who lived in Wales where rocks from the period are well-exposed.

ORDOVICIAN PERIOD Meaning and Definition

1. The Ordovician Period is a geological time period that occurred approximately 485 to 443 million years ago, within the Paleozoic Era. It is named after the Celtic tribe of the Ordovices, who lived in the region of what is now Wales. The period spans over 40 million years and is characterized by significant geological and biological events.

   During the Ordovician Period, life on Earth experienced a rapid diversification and expansion of marine organisms. It marked the emergence and dominance of marine invertebrates such as trilobites, brachiopods, and corals, along with the first appearance of jawless fish and early vertebrates. The first primitive plants also emerged during this period, colonizing the land.

   Geologically, the Ordovician was marked by the formation of different sedimentary rock formations, including limestone, shale, and sandstone. The period witnessed the closure of the Iapetus Ocean, a major ocean that existed between the supercontinent of Gondwana and Laurentia. This resulted in the formation of the Appalachian Mountains in North America and the Caledonian Mountains in Europe.

   The end of the Ordovician Period was marked by a mass extinction event known as the Ordovician-Silurian extinction, which greatly impacted marine life. It is estimated that around 60% of marine genera were wiped out during this event. The causes of this extinction remain uncertain, but factors such as climatic changes, sea-level fluctuations, and volcanic activity have been proposed as potential contributors.

   Overall, the Ordovician Period is a pivotal time in Earth's history, characterized by remarkable changes in both the geological and biological realms.

Common Misspellings for ORDOVICIAN PERIOD

• irdovician period
• krdovician period
• lrdovician period
• prdovician period
• 0rdovician period
• 9rdovician period
• oedovician period
• oddovician period
• ofdovician period
• otdovician period
• o5dovician period
• o4dovician period
• orsovician period
• orxovician period
• orcovician period
• orfovician period
• orrovician period
• oreovician period
• ordivician period

Etymology of ORDOVICIAN PERIOD

The word "Ordovician" comes from the Celtic tribe known as the "Ordovices". They inhabited the area that is now known as Wales during the Roman times. The name was later used by the English geologist Charles Lapworth in 1879 when he established the classification of geological eras. Lapworth named the period after the Ordovices because rocks from this period were first identified and extensively studied in the Welsh region.