Cene

Cene is primarily a geological suffix used to designate epochs within the Cenozoic Era. It is derived from the Greek kainos meaning “new,” and is attached to root names to form epoch names such as Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene.

Each -cene epoch represents a distinct interval in Earth’s history, with characteristic climate, life-forms, and rock records. Together, the -cene epochs span roughly from about 66 million years ago to the present. The broader division that contains these epochs is the Cenozoic Era, which is the latest major interval of the Phanerozoic Eon, following the Mesozoic.

Approximate dates for the major -cene epochs are:

- Paleocene: 66–56 million years ago

- Eocene: 56–34 million years ago

- Oligocene: 34–23 million years ago

- Miocene: 23–5.3 million years ago

- Pliocene: 5.3–2.6 million years ago

- Pleistocene: 2.6 million years ago–11,700 years ago

- Holocene: 11,700 years ago to present

Notes:

In geological usage, cene is not a standalone time unit; it serves as a suffix that marks epochs within the Cenozoic Era. The term Cenozoic itself denotes the era, not a single epoch.

Outside geology, Cene may also appear as a proper noun, such as the comune of Cene in Lombardy, Italy.