Carboniferous

a.

1.

Producing or containing carbon or coal. Carboniferous age (Geol.) the age immediately following the Devonian, or Age of fishes, and characterized by the vegetation which formed the coal beds. This age embraces three periods, the Subcarboniferous, the Carboniferous, and Permian. See Age of acrogens, under Acrogen. Carboniferous formation (Geol.) the series of rocks (including sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates, with beds of coal) which make up the strata of the Carboniferous age or Carboniferous period. See the Diagram under Geology.

Noun	1.	Carboniferous - from 345 million to 280 million years ago Synonyms: Carboniferous period
Adj.	1.	carboniferous - of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era; "carboniferous rock system"
	2.	carboniferous - relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon Synonyms: carbonaceous, carbonic, carbonous

Carboniferous period