Origin: Latin suffix -ous
Carboniferous has 6 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
from 345 million to 280 million years ago
relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon
Of a geologic period within the Paleozoic era; comprises the lower, middle and upper Mississippian and lower, middle and upper Pennsylvanian epochs from about 345 to 280 million years ago, when coal was laid down.
Containing or producing carbon.
the Carboniferous period