Cretaceous. World English Historical Dictionary

Cretaceous. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Cretaceous

a. [f. L. crētāce-us chalk-like, chalky, f. crēta chalk: see -ACEOUS.]

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  1.  Of the nature of chalk; chalky.

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1681.  Grew, Musæum, IV. 356 (J.). The Cretaceous Salt.

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1708.  J. Philips, Cyder, I. 54/4–5. Nor from the sable Ground expect Success, Nor from cretaceous, stubborn and jejune.

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1710.  T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 119. A cretaceous Electuary.

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1841–71.  T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4), 787. The lining membrane … secretes cretaceous matter.

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  b.  Chalk like. humorous.

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1808.  Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., vi. I love not the cretaceous and incredible countenance of his colleague.

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  2.  Geol. Belonging to or found in the Chalk formation. So Cretaceous group, series, system. Cretaceous period: the period during which these strata were deposited.

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1832.  De la Beche, Geol. Man. (ed. 2), 307. The cretaceous rocks of south-eastern England.

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1854.  F. C. Bakewell, Geol., 56. The chalk and its associated sands have been termed the ‘cretaceous system,’ from creta, chalk.

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1863.  Lyell, Antiq. Man, 335. During the oolitic and cretaceous periods.

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  Cretaceously adv., in the manner of chalk.

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1864.  in Webster.

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1882.  Syd. Soc. Lex., Cretaceously-pruinose, having a white shining incrustation.

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