Kimmeridgian
/ˌkɪm.əˈrɪdʒ.i.ən/noun
A division of the Late Jurassic period, or the rocks deposited during that time.
Did you know?Kimmeridgian is named after Kimmeridge in Dorset, England, where the famous oil-rich Kimmeridge Clay was studied, making the word a fossilized place-name rather than a mystical term.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
Kimmeridgian
“A geological stage named for the Kimmeridge Clay and the locality of Kimmeridge.”
19th Century
English
Kimmeridge
“The place-name in Dorset, England, from which the geological stage takes its name.”
Old English / Medieval Latin
English
Cimbrica
“A Latinized form used in place-name history, ultimately tied to the local name tradition of the area.”
Proto-Celtic
CEL
*kombero- / *cimbero-
“A proposed ancient root behind the place-name element, though the deeper origin is uncertain.”
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