Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Origin: carbon + -iferous 'containing, producing' (from Latin -fer)

carboniferous

 adjective
     
Related topics: Geology
car‧bon‧if‧er‧ous technical
HEG producing or containing carbon or coal:
carboniferous rocks
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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