Relating to shallow seas, oceans, or water bodies that cover parts of continents, especially referring to ancient geological periods.
From Greek 'epi' (upon) + Latin 'continens' (mainland) + '-al' (relating to). Used in geology to describe shallow marine environments on continental shelves.
The vast epicontinental seas that covered North America hundreds of millions of years ago left behind marine fossils in the middle of Kansas—these ancient oceans shaped continents as much as they covered them.
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