mass extinction
A sharp decrease in the total number of species in a relatively short period of timeA sharp decrease in the total number of species in a relatively short period of time; specifically, a loss of ∼75% of all species on the planet over a geologically interval of less than 3 million years, as a result of a mass extinction event.
» We are in the midst of a mass extinction.
Meaning
1 senses(countable, uncountable)A sharp decrease in the total number of species in a relatively short period of time; specifically, a loss of ∼75% of all species on the planet over a geologically interval of less than 3 million years, as a result of a mass extinction event.
Massenaussterben
ма́ссовое вымира́ниеmássovoje vymiránije
ма́сове вимира́нняmásove vymyránnja
Examples
9 sentencesWe are in the midst of a mass extinction.
We are in the midst of the 6th mass extinction.
We're at the beginning of a global mass extinction event.
Asteroids over ten kilometers wide could cause dinosaur-level mass extinctions and would be bad for the stock market.
Previous episodes of mass extinctions were driven by natural disasters such as asteroids, but this one is driven by humans.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Forms
plural: mass extinctions| Singular | mass extinction |
|---|---|
| Plural | mass extinctions |
regular
Synonyms
3 synonymsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable