Triassic Meaning
/tɹaɪˈæs.ɪk/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adj/nounRelating to the Triassic geologic period.
adjOf or from the geologic strata above the Permian and below the Jurassic; of or belonging to the period 250 to 200 million years ago when these strata were laid down.
Sentence Examples
The Permian–Triassic extinction event occurred about 250M years ago.
Dinosaurs first appeared earlier in the Triassic Period, roughly 230 million years ago.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ period saw the first dinosaurs appear on Earth around 230 million years ago.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ period was a geological time that lasted for millions of years and saw the rise of the first dinosaurs today.
Word Origin & History
From Trias (“three-layered geologic strata between the Permian and Jurassic”) < German Trias < Ancient Greek τριάς (triás, “triad”), + -ic. Coined in 1841 by geologist Friedrich August von Alberti (1795–1878).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“Well,” Ellie said. “We know animals have survived. Crocodiles are basically Triassic animals living in the present. Sharks are Triassic. So we know it has happened before.”"
— 1990, Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, Alfred A. Knopf, page 45:
"Fossils are particularly well described from the Carboniferous, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and have been found in the USA, England, Russia, Lebanon and Germany. Sites such as Lyme Regis in Dorset have particularly yielded number of Jurassic “squid” ink sacs and nodules (Doguzhaeva et al. 2004)."
— 2017 August 9, Mark Carnall, “Why do cephalopods produce ink? And what's ink made of, anyway?”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Jan 2026:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ period saw the first dinosaurs appear on Earth around 230 million years ago.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ period was a geological time that lasted for millions of years and saw the rise of the first dinosaurs today.