From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Carboniferous \Car'bon*if"er*ous\ (k[aum]r'b[o^]n*[i^]f"[~e]r*[u^]s), adjective [Carbon + -ferous.] Producing or containing carbon or coal.
{Carboniferous age} (Geol.), the age immediately following the Devonian, or Age of fishes, and characterized by the vegetation which formed the coal beds. This age embraces three periods, the Subcarboniferous, the Carboniferous, and Permian. See {Age of acrogens}, under {Acrogen}.
{Carboniferous formation} (Geol.), the series of rocks (including sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates, with beds of coal) which make up the strata of the Carboniferous age or Carboniferous period. See the Diagram under {Geology}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: of or relating to the Carboniferous geologic era; "carboniferous rock system"
2: relating to or consisting of or yielding carbon [syn: {carbonaceous}, {carbonous}, {carbonic}]
noun
1: from 345 million to 280 million years ago [syn: {Carboniferous period}]
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