the geologically recent Pleistocene Epoch, during which much of the Northern Hemisphere was covered by great ice sheets
2.
any one of the Permian, Carboniferous, Cambrian, or Precambrian glaciations
Word origin
[1840–50]This word is first recorded in the period 1840–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: dope, flan, layout, plaque, pylon