a. [f. L. crētāce-us chalk-like, chalky, f. crēta chalk: see -ACEOUS.]
1. Of the nature of chalk; chalky.
1681. Grew, Musæum, IV. 356 (J.). The Cretaceous Salt.
1708. J. Philips, Cyder, I. 54. Nor from the sable Ground expect Success Nor from cretaceous, stubborn and jejune.
1710. T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 119. A cretaceous Electuary.
1841–71. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4), 787. The lining membrane … secretes cretaceous matter.
b. Chalk like. humorous.
1808. Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., vi. I love not the cretaceous and incredible countenance of his colleague.
2. Geol. Belonging to or found in the Chalk formation. So Cretaceous group, series, system. Cretaceous period: the period during which these strata were deposited.
1832. De la Beche, Geol. Man. (ed. 2), 307. The cretaceous rocks of south-eastern England.
1854. F. C. Bakewell, Geol., 56. The chalk and its associated sands have been termed the ‘cretaceous system,’ from creta, chalk.
1863. Lyell, Antiq. Man, 335. During the oolitic and cretaceous periods.
Cretaceously adv., in the manner of chalk.
1864. in Webster.
1882. Syd. Soc. Lex., Cretaceously-pruinose, having a white shining incrustation.
