carbon dating

noun

: the determination of the age of old material (such as an archaeological or paleontological specimen) by means of the content of carbon 14
carbon-date
ˈkär-bən-ˈdāt How to pronounce carbon dating (audio)
transitive verb

Examples of carbon dating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That place of the carbon dating machine, that was in Padua. — Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 24 June 2026 Back then, Schroeder said, there was a large margin of error for the relativity new science of carbon dating. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025 But Toronto hasn’t won it all in so many sports generations its 1967 Stanley Cup needs carbon dating. — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2025 The jaw is thought to have belonged to an adult mastodon, but more information regarding the age and diet of the creature will be determined after carbon dating and more detailed analysis. — Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for carbon dating

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carbon dating was in 1951

Rhymes for carbon dating

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Browse Nearby Words

carbon cycle
carbon dating
carbon diamond
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Cite this Entry

“Carbon dating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carbon%20dating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

carbon dating

noun
: the measurement of age (as of a fossil) by means of the amount of carbon 14 in the material
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