also: だいしき
Quaternary period
Geological term for the most recent period of the Cenozoic era, spanning from about 2.58 million years ago to the present.
The Quaternary period is also called the Ice Age.
Many fossils have been discovered from Quaternary strata.
Standard kanji spelling for the Quaternary period.
Alternate reading; less common than だいよんき.
From 第四 (fourth) + 紀 (period), a calque of the English 'Quaternary period' or its equivalent in other Western languages.